The Element of Freedom
by ursa major II
Summary: Richonne Summer Prompt - TUMBLR. AU: Rick and Michonne meet for the first time one summer afternoon in King County and it changes their lives forever. COMPLETE 05.30.17
1. The Hand of Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Walking Dead, the TV show or the comic. All characters and story history, with exception of random Alexandrians belong to Robert Kirkman and the sometimes brilliant Scott Gimple.

Summary: Tumblr Richonne Summer Prompt - This story takes place in an AU. It explores what happens when Michonne and Rick meet for the first time one summer afternoon in King County, Georgia.

Author's Note: I do enjoy feedback, but as always, I request that you be gentle.

 **Chapter One**

Michonne barely listened as Mike rambled on about his travel to Pennsylvania, the drama at the airport, which he deemed as over the top security checks and his arrival at his parent's home in an affluent suburb of Philadelphia. The Independence Day holiday was that weekend and the plan was for them to spend the holiday with his family. Being as she had traveled to Orlando and wouldn't return to Atlanta until that evening, Mike had decided to go ahead and make the trip alone so that he could be there to celebrate his father's birthday that evening. Michonne would fly to Philadelphia the following morning and be there the entire weekend to celebrate, not only the holiday, but their big announcement - their plans to marry. Michonne glanced at her left hand that gripped the wheel and was adorned with a beautiful Tiffany engagement ring. Mike had proposed about a month earlier, when they'd taken a trip down to the Gulf Coast for a weekend getaway. She'd not been completely surprised. For they'd been talking about making things official for a while. They'd after all been dating for 4 years and living together for two. They were doing everything married people do, so why not go ahead and commit completely.

Michonne had immediately said yes. In the moment, she meant it, and she was happy, but after the moment passed she'd began to have doubts, feeling this deep sense of foreboding, like this was not supposed to be life, her future. It was scary, yet ridiculous. For she and Mike were practically married already and, she loved him, and he loved her. They were a good pair. So why wouldn't marrying him be the right choice? Though the feeling had eventually abated, it was still there, right beneath the surface, nagging at her conscious, making her question everything. Thus, instead of staying in town and joining Mike on the flight to Philadelphia, she'd gone to an art show in Orlando. She didn't expect to find any pieces there worth buying, but needed the time and solitude the drive would provide to think, to work through any lingering reservations she might be having. For that weekend they would be announcing the news to his family and would most certainly set a date and began the planning. She didn't want to make such a commitment to Mike and their families without being certain that this choice was exactly what she wanted.

Michonne continued her drive, now listening as Mike's ramblings moved on to his excitement over their planned announcement, when her car suddenly started to shake and the dashboard issued an engine warning. She quickly looked at the temperature gage and saw that the car was running hotter than normal, when the engine began to struggle, no longer able to handle the speed of the freeway and smoke began billowing from beneath the hood.

" _Shit!"_ Michonne exclaimed, interrupting Mike's speculation about his mom's reaction to their news. He immediately asked what happened and she'd responded that her car was giving her trouble and that she was pulling off at the next exit – the town of Palmer in King County. She managed to drive the car off the freeway, down the exit ramp and on to a four lane highway that appeared to be in the middle of nowhere, then pulled into the grass and out the way of traffic. Mike again asked if she was okay, if she was safe, which she'd answered that she was as she got out of the car and checked under the hood. It was definitely running hot, but it was something else too. She'd told Mike, returning to sit inside of her car, which now wouldn't start at all. She was going to need roadside assistance. She'd deduced, but where would she get towed she wondered, considering there was nothing but open road and fields as far as the eye could see?

Michonne kept Mike on the line while she accessed her auto insurance app and submitted a request for roadside assistance. Within seconds she received a brief call from the agency confirming that she was okay and vowing to send help, followed by a text that provided details on the name and contact information for the tow company and their estimated time of arrival. Just as she breathed a small sigh of relief and managed to calm Mike's worry somewhat, flashing blue lights appeared in her rearview mirror, then stopped behind her.

" _Shit!"_ Michonne exclaimed to which Mike again worriedly asked what was wrong.

A cop just pulled up behind me. She'd replied with a hint of anxiety. Mike had responded with his own expletive and directed her not to hang up the phone, and she'd she assured him that she wouldn't. Michonne then removed her ID and registration from her purse, then nervously watched as a deputy got out of his cruiser and slowly made his way towards her car with his hand on his weapon. Suddenly she became keenly aware of her situation. She was an African-American woman in a very small town in the rural south and would soon be at the mercy of the white police officer that was approaching her now disabled car. The situation seemed to have disaster written all over it, which made her wish she'd skipped the art show in Florida.

Reaching her car, the officer walked along the driver's side, seeming to take his time, before finally making it to her open window that was now down, allowing in the sweltering heat. Michonne turned her eyes to the window and prepared for what she knew would be a hostile stance from the officer, but instead she found the unexpected. Eyes, that were a sea of the warmest blue, touching something deep within her, dispelling her nervous fear, making her feel at ease. She held his intense stare as her breath helpless quickened in pace with her heart, that strangely thundered with tenderness and affinity, mirroring the emotions that were emanating from his eyes. Michonne forced herself to look away to retrieve her credentials from the console were they now lay, while trying in vain to understand the storm of emotions that had been awakened within her. Returning her gaze to his, she was again shaken by his gentle intensity, then silently handed him her credentials. The officer took her papers in hand, holding her eyes for a beat longer than he should've, igniting a heat between them, before he dropped his gaze to review what she'd given him.

" _Is everything alright?"_ He finally uttered, his tone uneven, yet kind, his eyes still down.

" _Yes_." Michonne awkwardly replied to the Officer, whose name tag she now noticed said _R. Grimes_. " _As you can see I'm having car trouble."_

" _It's running hot?"_ He asked, briefly looking towards the hood.

" _That and some…something else."_ Michonne struggled with her response, when his gaze again caught hers, making her feel fervid and vulnerable inside _._

" _Do you have roadside assistance?"_

" _I do. They should be here any minute."_

" _Alright. Give me a minute to check these."_ He quietly stated as he held up her credentials. " _Then I'll…leave you to it."_ He added as his eyes, ardent and enthralled, remained bound to hers, before he slowly turned and walked away. Michonne released a breath she didn't know she was holding and her mind again began to race with confusion and wonder. What the hell was wrong with her? She posed to herself. Knowing precisely the answer, but found it made little sense, when her musings were disrupted by Mike's urgent voice in her ear, asking what was going on. She gave him an overview of all that had transpired which she was sure he'd overheard while she had him on hold. He'd then proceeded to ask more questions. What was the cop doing? Did she feel safe? How long before the tow would be there? Which she'd distractedly answered as she waited for Officer Grimes to return, while her mind and heart still struggled with what she felt for this man who was a stranger and should mean nothing to her. Several minutes later he made his way back to her car, and with his return came a nervous excitement that hadn't quite abated with his absence.

" _You're a long way from home Miss Mitchell. Where're you headed?"_ He asked as he handed back her license and registration.

" _Home_." She replied, now putting her credentials away.

" _How long before the roadside assistance arrives?"_ He asked just as the tow truck pulled up. Michonne immediately exited her car to greet the driver and saw that the Officer was already conversing with the older man, who he obviously knew, before the man made his way over to her, introduced himself as Rob and asked where she wanted her car towed.

" _I don't know. I'm not from around here. Is there an auto shop nearby?"_ She'd asked.

" _Dixon's Auto Shop is the closest, anything else is 10-15 miles away."_ Rick answered. It's about four miles down the road. He said, pointing east, but Rob had countered that the shop was likely closed at this hour. _I can help with that._ Rick had then said, returning his eyes to hers. Michonne had decided to go with the officer's suggestion, who she couldn't help but trust implicitly, not because he was police, but because of a strong instinct within her that said he was being truthful. The tow truck driver had her car mounted on the truck and at the auto shop within twenty minutes where the owner, Darryl Dixon, met them upon arrival. Michonne had thought that the strings the Officer pulled in getting Mr. Dixon to return to the shop to receive her car, would include the man taking a look under its hood immediately, but unfortunately for her the man had a previous engagement that couldn't be broken and thus wouldn't be looking at her car until the following morning.

Michonne had taken the news better than Mike, who'd been furious about the delay. He wanted her to have her car towed to another shop, where it could be looked at ASAP. She'd reminded him that the next nearest shop was 15 miles away and was likely closed being as it going on 7pm. She'd have to stay the night in Palmer, but it'd just be for one night. She'd told him. She'd move her flight to Philadelphia to Saturday evening. Mike had been beside himself with frustration, but Michonne had managed to calm him down before ending their call. She wasn't exactly happy with having to wait for service, and thus spend the night in a small town in rural Georgia, but a part of her was relieved to have more time to figure out if she wanted to end their engagement or plan their wedding.

" _I can take you to a hotel_." Rick offered, after she'd removed her bags from the trunk of her car.

" _That won't be necessary."_

" _Miss. Mitchell we don't have Uber out here, and the one taxi we have only runs on Saturday nights."_

" _I can walk."_

" _The hotels are about a mile and half walk in downtown Palmer. That might be an okay walk if you didn't have a bag and there were sidewalks, but that's not the case. Now if you insist on walking I can't stop you. But really it's no trouble for me to take you."_ Michonne contemplated what he'd said as well as the way she was senselessly drawn to this man whom she should not be entertaining in the way at all, but he did have a point. It wouldn't make sense for her to try and walk to the hotel dragging her bag behind her in this heat, on a road with no sidewalks. It was just a ride. She'd concluded. What could possibly happen in such a short time?

* * *

The ride started slow, and quiet. The mood in the car raging with emotion. Giddiness filled the air, and excitement at being so close to one another, anticipation for what they could learn about the other, and a smoldering warmth, feeding the extraordinary pull between them.

" _You said you were driving back home, where were you traveling from?"_ Rick suddenly asked, after endlessly debating what to say, weather or personal, he'd very briefly tossed around before settling on what he really wanted, which was to know more about her.

" _Orlando. I'd gone down for an art show."_ Michonne answered as casually as she could, even as the simple question further stirred her heart.

" _You're an artist?"_ Rick asked as he looked her way thinking 'beautiful and creative,' then quickly returned his eyes to the road and attempted to force the thought away.

" _I do some painting. But I mostly collect."_

" _What do you paint? When you paint."_

" _Flowers. Some landscapes."_

" _Really? I'd love to see it."_ He honestly stated, then again turned his gaze to her, just as he stopped at the light that had gone red.

" _You're into art?"_ Michonne asked with surprise, meeting his eyes, which were a mesmerizing blue capturing her completely.

" _Not really."_ Rick awkwardly answered after being shaken from the moment, the intense connection he felt to her, by a motorist behind them honking their horn notifying him of the light that had gone green. _"It'd be cool to see art come to life, the paint hitting the canvas."_

" _You want to watch me paint?"_ Michonne quietly questioned with skepticism.

" _Why not? Like I said, it'd be interesting to see an artist make art."_ He said, briefly glancing her way.

" _Well you'd have to come to Atlanta to see that. So I doubt you'll ever get that experience with me."_ She countered.

" _You never know. Things are changing all the time."_ He uttered as their gazes met again, heated and impassioned before breaking their stare to sweep the landscape of downtown Palmer. _"So, the Marriott or Hilton?"_ He asked after drawing a deep breath, trying hard to quell his unreasonable tenderness for this woman beside him.

" _Marriott."_ She answered as she did the same, relieved but in the same breath disappointed that they'd arrived at her destination. Rick pulled into the roundabout driveway at the Courtyard Marriott that sat on the corner of Main Street in the quaint town that was beautified with flowers, greenery and a host of restaurants and small shops about the town city center. Rick stopped the car in front of the entry doors and he and Michonne immediately exited the car, saying not a word to one another and met at the trunk. Rick opened the trunk and retrieved her bag, positioning it upright with the pulley handle up which she'd then taken in hand.

" _Thank you, Officer Grimes, for everything."_ Michonne then stated.

" _Rick."_ He corrected as he extended his hand. " _You can call me Rick."_ She acknowledged his correction with a slight nod and a smile.

" _Michonne."_ She softly declared, officially introducing herself, before she grasped his hand. Instantly, they felt a charge ignite, fiery and powerful, rushing through them. For a split second Michonne felt woozy and flushed, while Rick became unsteady on his feet, feeling as if his legs would buckle beneath him. They stood for what seemed like longer than mere minutes, their hands clasped, their eyes locked, their breathes fast as their hearts flooded with deep, tender emotion. When reality penetrated their senses - a car driving up, a screaming child in the parking lot, reminding them of where they were, and who they were. Michonne swiftly pulled her hand from Rick's, and fleetingly gave him her eyes, before she hurried away. Rick intently watched her leave, his gaze amorous and enthralled, wanting to stop her, but instead he remained were he stood, feverish and shaken, while he looked on as she disappeared into the hotel.


	2. Breakfast at Bluebirds

Thanks everyone for reading and responding! As always I appreciate the support.

 **Chapter Two**

The blaring sound of "waves" the ringtone on her iPhone, startled Michonne from sleep. Turning over she reached for the nightstand nearby, her hand fumbling in the dark for her phone until she found it. " _Hello."_ She answered with a languid sigh. It was Mike. Right way, he'd apologized for waking her and asked if she'd had a good night's rest. She'd texted him the previous evening to let him know that she'd gotten a room at the Courtyard Marriott, and they'd actually spoken before she'd gone to bed. He'd been curious about how she'd gotten to the hotel with her car in the shop, and she'd told him about the sheriff's deputy, Rick Grimes. However, she'd obviously left out the powerful connection she felt to the man. She'd been so moved by the moment their hands clasped, the fever and tenderness, the bliss, nonetheless disquiet, that she could hardly concentrate while booking her room and had been unable to eat and properly engage Mike as they'd talked.

Even her sleep had been restless for most of the night, until exhaustion, in mind and body, finally claimed her. Michonne gradually roused, awakened by the memory of the car ride and handshake, her heart stirring with all the emotion she felt during every minute she was with Rick. When Mike invaded her thoughts, drawing her back to the present by repeatedly calling her name. He was asking again about her plans to pick up her car and head back to Atlanta. What time she'd be doing this? He wanted to know. Michonne had told him that the shop opened at 7:30am and she planned to be there as soon as the doors opened. Satisfied with her response, Mike had apologized again for waking her and stated how eager he was for her to join him so that they could announce their engagement to his family.

Michonne had not echoed his thoughts. Instead she'd told him she'd call him once she was back on the road. They'd spoken for a few minutes longer, discussing his plans for the day then ended their call. Returning her phone to the nightstand, Michonne lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, not feeling even an inkling of sleep, but a sense of guilt over her failure to mirror his enthusiasm and happiness over their planned announcement. She shouldn't go to Philadelphia this way. She knew. But what choice did she have? Mike was already there, and she couldn't have this talk over the phone. They'd been together for 4 years. She had to tell him to his face that she was having doubts. She should've told him weeks ago, but she couldn't reconcile her uncertainty with reality. She still couldn't.

There was nothing in her past or present with Mike that signaled their future together wouldn't be good. She logically deduced, just as her encounter with Rick Grimes again rose in her mind. How was it possible for her to feel so strongly for a man she'd just met? To be moved by him in a way that was deeply profound, incredibly exhilarating, yet unnerving and strange. It was like nothing she'd ever experienced in her life. It had to mean something. She knew. She wanted to throw caution to the wind, and see him again, but the thought of acting so reckless and spontaneous was ridiculous. What purpose would it serve except to complicate her life? What time would she have to explore what she felt for this stranger, who didn't feel like a stranger at all? She would be gone in a few hours, likely never to see Palmer or Rick Grimes again. Thus, it was insane for her to even entertain the idea that there was a chance, for what? She didn't allow herself to answer.

* * *

Nearly Two Hours Later…

The morning was warm. The humidity was low, and there was a nice breeze on the air. As a result, Michonne had decided to walk the mile and a half to Dixon's Auto Shop, instead of attempting to bum a ride off a stranger. At times, the walk had been a challenge due to the lack of sidewalks, and sometimes uneven terrain, but in the end it had been a good stroll. She'd used the time to clear her mind, to get a handle on the confusion she still felt about her engagement and this sheriff's deputy, Rick Grimes.

Mike was a good man. She'd reminded herself. The foreboding she'd felt after his proposal was just natural fear, cold feet in the mist of the unknown. Mike had been apart of her life for four years and never had she had such a feeling about him. It was merely pre-wedding jitters. She'd reasoned with herself. And Rick Grimes, well he wasn't even a factor. She'd realized. She couldn't deny her strong attraction to him, but no matter what she felt, and the feelings she sensed, without a doubt from his heart, he was a man living in a small town that was hundreds of miles from Atlanta, from her, and would soon be nothing more than a moment in her past. Mike was her future. At least it made sense that he should be. Whatever doubts she had, she would work through them. She had to.

* * *

The timing was perfect. Michonne had arrived at the auto shop just as they'd finished looking at her car. Unfortunately, that was the only thing that had gone right with her visit. First, she'd been greeted by an obnoxious man who reeked of smoke she was sure came from an illegal substance and was obviously intolerant of any person of color, based on his veiled comments to her and another customer who was of Hispanic heritage. She'd confronted Mr. Darryl Dixon about the man, and he'd profusely apologized, stating that the guy was his brother – Merle and assured that his behavior in no way reflected on who he or his workers were or the good work they did at the shop. Michonne had accepted the apology, but wanted further assurance that the man would not be going anywhere near her car. Darryl had given his word that he wouldn't, and surprisingly she'd believed him. That discussion had been followed by news about her car. It had a busted radiator and hose. The hose could be immediately replaced, but the radiator would have to wait. He didn't have any in stock that was compatible with her car and with the holiday, the earliest it would deliver would be the 5th of July.

Michonne could not believe that she would have to wait three days to get her car fixed. This was unacceptable. She'd told Darryl. There had to be a way for him to get the part and her car repaired today. She could not stay in Palmer until after the holiday. She had plans in Philadelphia with her fiancée. She'd vehemently argued as her mind instantly went to Rick Grimes, igniting an excitement, yet fear at the prospect of seeing him again. " _I can't stay here."_ She'd emphasized once more. Darryl had sincerely apologized for the inconvenience, stating that he wished there was something more he could do, but the holiday was " _killing the timing"_ on completing the repairs. " _I promise as soon as I get in the part I will get your car fixed and discount the service at 20% for your trouble."_ He'd vowed.

Michonne appreciated the discount, but she wanted her car fixed, not to spend her holiday in Palmer, Georgia. Weighing her options, she bounced around some pretty extreme ideas i.e. having the car towed to another shop, getting a rental car, from where she didn't know, catching Greyhound back to Atlanta. Sadly, none of the scenarios were easily workable or frankly feasible, considering they'd all cost significantly more money and trouble than it was worth, and/or require she leave her car in King County, which she wasn't willing to do. She was stuck in Palmer. She'd recognized with disbelief. Thinking that the situation was absolutely crazy, as if some unseen hand was wielding fate, causing these strange happenings. Accepting what was, Michonne had returned to the Courtyard Marriott and extended her stay. She'd been relieved to learn that they actually had room seeing as how surprisingly busy they seemed to be. Now famished, she headed down the street to the Bluebird Café. Her thoughts drifted to Rick Grimes, wondering if he was nearby on a patrol or enjoying a day off, a part of her wishing that they'd cross paths. But she'd promptly pushed the unwise thought from her mind with a decision to give Mike a call, when she remembered his planned breakfast with a potential client, and as an alternative, reached out to her friend Angela.

* * *

Michonne hung up with Angela just as she entered the café and was immediately greeted and offered a table, but she'd chosen a seat at the bar since she was dining alone. Reviewing the menu, she'd found quite a few dishes that sounded inviting, even some geared towards the healthy eater, like herself, and wondered if the food was any good, not noticing the patron who'd just taken a seat on the barstool next to hers, until she heard him utter her name.

" _Rick."_ She gasped, upon turning and seeing Rick Grimes, now sitting at her side, his presence instantly unleashing a flood of tenderness and ardor through her form.

Rick had been thinking about her since he watched her disappear into that hotel lobby, feeling the heat of her touch, the way her presence awakened something wonderfully powerful and indefinable within him. He wanted to see her again, had debated whether to stop in at the hotel to check on her or to happen by Dixon's Auto to make sure she'd got off okay, but he'd seen her crossing the street from the hotel, on her way to Bluebird, and couldn't stop himself from following. He had to see her.

" _You're still here."_ He said as he captured her eyes, his heart helplessly full with anticipation and warmth _._

" _I am."_ Michonne quietly stated, then quickly returned her eyes to the menu, trying hard to calm herself, to not get overwhelmed by the fervent feelings he'd stirred.

" _Are you just waiting for Darryl to finish up with your car?"_ He asked, after drawing a breath, in an attempt to ease the intensity of his own emotions at her nearness.

" _You could say that."_ She uttered with a hint of exasperation.

" _Sounds serious."_

Michonne didn't respond right away. For she was debating whether she should just move from the bar to a table. Figuring that would be the wiser choice considering she was an engaged woman, but she'd remained at the bar, in part because there were no longer tables available. And honestly, despite the risk, the fact that it made little sense, she was deeply drawn to Rick Grimes and couldn't help but want to spend more time with him. " _It's a busted radiator and hose."_ She'd finally replied. " _He won't be able to fix it until after the holiday."_

" _I'm sorry."_ Rick said, even as excitement hummed within him, drawing her eyes, questioning, back to his. " _Yesterday I heard you tell Darryl… that you had weekend plans in Philadelphia."_ He awkwardly explained, unknowingly reminding her of the life, that just an hour ago, she'd vowed to embrace. Michonne again focused on her menu, and began to question what she was doing, when the waitress working the bar walked up and asked what she was having.

" _Let me get an egg white veggie omelet, with tom…"_

" _You can't come to the Bluebird Café and have a veggie egg white omelet."_ Rick lightly interjected.

" _Well what do you suggest I have?"_ Michonne flippantly countered.

" _Pancakes, Waffles, shrimp and grits."_

" _All of that? I don't think so."_

" _Not all."_ Rick laughed. " _But at least one. I promise you won't regret it."_ He said as she looked to him, her eyes locking with his, igniting a heat between them. Michonne turned her gaze away, taking a shaky breath as she gave the menu another glance. Pancakes and Waffles did sound better than a veggie omelet. She thought, purposely distracting herself from the intense pull that was Rick Grimes. " _Ok scrap the omelet."_ She then told the waitress and changed her order to pancakes with bananas and walnut toppings.

" _Good choice_." He declared, a smile in his voice as he shared another keen stare with Michonne, which was interrupted by the waitress requesting his order then asking about his wife and child. Michonne listened with shock and disappointment as the woman continued her inquiry, questioning if they'd be joining him for breakfast. Rick had corrected the waitress, letting her know that he and his wife were formally separated. Therefore, she wouldn't be joining him, and furthermore, her and his son were out of town, visiting her family in Brunswick for the holiday.

* * *

Quiet followed that moment, with Michonne distracting herself with her phone, checking her personal and work emails and texting a couple of friends, while trying to process the fact that Rick had an estranged wife and a son, when Mike had called. His meeting had went well, but he was more interested in her car. She'd let him know that it wouldn't be fixed for a few days, and as a result she would miss their planned holiday in Philadelphia. Mike had responded with extreme ire and disappointment. How could he announce their engagement without his fiancé being present? He'd asked.

Michonne had let him know that she was frustrated too and suggested they plan another weekend to go up and make the announcement. However, Mike was adamant that the announcement go forward as planned and had even made suggestions on how to do it, from Michonne leaving her car in King County, renting a ride to the airport where she'd fly up to join him. She could deal with her car after the holiday. He'd argued. To them making the announcement with her Skyping in from Georgia. Michonne had balked at both ideas, stating that she'd also thought of renting a car, but there was no place nearby to secure a rental and she wasn't about to leave her car in a strange town in the care of people she didn't know for three days.

The Skype idea was a good one. She'd told him, but she just didn't feel right making the announcement in such a manner. She'd rather he told his family on his own than do it in such a sterile and impersonal way. Mike had ultimately agreed. Thus he'd grudgingly decided not to say a word and to plan a return trip to Philly within the next couple of weeks for them to visit and tell his family their great news. While Michonne was dealing with Mike, Rick had taken a call from Carl, who was having an "okay" time at his grandparent's home, but would've rather been in Palmer. Rick had found this odd, because Carl always loved visiting his grandparents who had horses and swimming and what seemed like an abundance of junk food to eat. But this year, he really didn't want to go, specifically it seemed due to his growing animosity towards Lori. She'd said it was due to him getting to that age, where anyone who didn't have male plumbing was useless to him, and of course their separation. However, Rick believed otherwise, thinking it was something other than their failing marriage, and that Carl was too young to be going through a male's only phase in his life. Rick hung up with Carl, just as their food arrived, quicker than both expected.

Michonne scanned her plate, feeling a little intimidated by all that was on it, but her growling stomach and the delightful aroma, drove her to abandon her hesitation. She fluidly draped a thick cloth napkin across her lap, picked up her knife and fork and dug in. The pieces of banana, nuts and pancake in the first bite seemed to melt in her mouth releasing a taste explosion, causing her to nearly moan.

" _What do you think?"_ Rick asked with a gentle smirk as he watched her with intent, not having tasted his own meal due to his interest in her response to the food she'd ordered.

" _It's delicious."_ She casually admitted after swallowing a small smile on her lips, knowing that he was watching her. " _Almost as good as the Pancake Pantry."_

" _You mean in Nashville?"_ Rick asked with surprise.

" _You know it?"_ Michonne questioned with her own shock turning her eyes to him.

" _I do. I think the last time I was in Nashville I went there every morning for breakfast."_

" _Me too."_ She exclaimed as she briefly held his warm gaze. " _The pancakes were wonderful."_ She added, then took another sampling of her meal.

" _That and the French toast."_ He stated and finally began cutting into his steak and eggs.

" _With cinnamon-cream syrup?"_ She sighed, now thinking of the fabulous dish.

" _You too?"_ He asked, looking her way in amazement.

" _Maple is good. But nothing is like the cinnamon."_ She declared, and for a moment they shared an intense stare.

" _So…do you travel a lot?"_ Rick asked, his eyes back on his meal as his heart blazed with fire and happiness.

" _Not as much as I'd like. I do some traveling for work, but I'd like to do more personal trips, specifically to places here in Georgia."_

" _There are some great places here. The mountains, the beaches, the falls."_

" _I've always wanted to go to Amicalola Falls."_

" _It's beautiful there."_

" _You've been?"_ Michonne asked, now watching him with curious and gentle eyes.

" _I have."_ He said, after taking a swig of his juice. " _It's about three and half hours from here but probably an hour, hour and a half from you_. _There's lots to do up there, hiking, fishing, camping, but the falls are the draw. The views are…amazing."_

" _Really? I'll have to make it a point to go soon."_

" _It'll make a good day or weekend trip. But, in the meantime, there's Palmer."_ He said, causing her to laugh.

" _Don't knock it."_ Rick countered with a chuckle. " _I'll admit we don't have the mountains of Blue Ridge or the Falls of Dawsonville, but we do have a lake, some great home town restaurants and shops and a beautiful park and flower gardens right off Main."_

" _Sounds like you love it here."_ Michonne softly noted _._

" _It's home."_ Rick quietly stated, his eyes meeting hers.

" _For how long?"_ She'd asked.

" _Almost 16 years. I moved here after college, job offer from the Sheriff's department."_

" _Where are you originally from?"_

" _Small town south of here...Eastman."_

" _You mean there's a town smaller than here?"_ She teased and they both laugh. " _So you're from Georgia? That's a rare find."_ She continued and returned her attention to her plate.

" _I am. But, you're not."_ He voiced, his tone serious, etched with impassion

" _A rare find? Or from Georgia?"_ Michonne questioned and gazed at him once more.

" _You're definitely a rare find. But not from Georgia."_ Rick quietly declared, his eyes seizing hers, touching something deep within her.

" _How can you tell?"_ She softly asked _._

" _How can I not. Nothing about you says Georgia."_ He huskily replied as he continued to hold her gaze, his eyes smoldering and mesmerized.

" _I…I heard the waitress ask about your family."_ Michonne awkwardly asked, breaking the connection in an attempt to get control of the situation, of her emotions, taking a sudden interest in his family and the abundance of pancakes and bananas on her plate.

" _I've…I've been married…15 years."_ Rick struggled to state as he reeled from the deep affinity and affection she ignited in his heart. " _We have a 10-year-old son, but we're separated."_

" _I'm sorry."_ She uttered, silently conflicted by her sympathy, yet relief about his situation _._ Rick acknowledged her compassion with a faint nod which was followed by silence between them, short and awkward.

" _How about you?"_ Rick then suddenly uttered _._

" _I have a fiancée. We've been engaged for about a month."_ She said, briefly flashing him her ring.

" _Congratulations_." Rick tried to state in a favorable voice, but instead it sounded strained due to him being unreasonable bothered by her engagement.

" _Thank you."_

" _So, when's the wedding?"_ He asked in a stilted tone.

" _I don't know."_ Michonne replied, thinking of their planned announcement and likely discussion of dates, her earlier determination to forge forward, now being challenged by the reemergence of those strong feelings of foreboding and uncertainty.

" _Did I guess right?"_ Rick asked, changing the subject after sensing that her engagement was a sensitive topic. Michonne gave him a bewildered look having no idea what he was talking about. " _Are you not from Georgia?"_ He clarified.

" _You guessed right_." She confirmed with a small smile. " _I'm from Baltimore. Same as you, I came here after finishing college, for a job."_

" _Where did you go to college?"_

" _Howard."_ She revealed. From there, their conversation had veered off into discussions about, college, careers, hobbies, occasionally circling back to travel and family. Michonne had learned that Rick had a brother that lived in Texas. His parents still lived in Eastman and that he absolutely adored his son Carl. He enjoyed cars, horseback riding, camping, and hiking and surprisingly dancing. She couldn't believe he admitted that. And like many men, he enjoyed sports. Football and basketball, being two of his favorite past times. Rick had discovered that Michonne had a brother as well who lived in Chicago and that her parents lived in the D.C. area. In addition to collecting art and occasionally painting, she enjoyed traveling, hiking, pottery, some sports specifically basketball and track, and to his surprise reading comics. They'd been in their own world, talking, laughing and eating, failing to notice the attention they were drawing, whilst the waitress unceremoniously laid down their tickets on the counter, pulling them from the moment.

Rick caught sight of the clock on the wall and was shocked to see how late it was. He was on duty in 10 minutes. _I need to go_. He said, disappointment in his voice, as he looked towards Michonne wanting so much to stay longer.

" _Right_." She softly replied, fighting her own melancholy at his impending exit. Michonne watched as he retrieved his wallet, noting his swag, the pure manliness and confidence in the way he moved, making her feel flushed. Rick flipped through his cash, pulled out what he needed and laid it on the counter.

" _What are you doing?"_ She asked upon seeing him place money on his ticket and hers.

" _I'm paying for breakfast."_

" _No. You're not_." Michonne rejected.

" _Why not?"_

" _Rick please."_

" _Really, it's not a problem."_ He assured.

" _I know. But I got it."_ She firmly stated. As much as she appreciated his kind deed, him paying for her meal would be the final piece that would confirm what they knew, but she wasn't quite ready to accept, that they'd just spent the past 90 minutes having a date.

Rick nodded in acceptance, eying her with admiration as she handed him back the money he'd laid on the counter for her food.

" _Thank you for offering to pay, and for the suggestion."_ She said, gesturing towards her plate. " _It was really good."_

" _Good."_ He uttered. " _If you need anything…anything during your stay…"_

" _I'll be okay."_ Michonne quietly voiced. " _But, if you're ever in need of a painting_." She added as she handed him her card before she could think it through, and thus change her mind. Rick beamed with delight as he stood from his chair, while he briefly examined the card, then slipped it into his front pocket.

" _I just may take you up on that_." He declared as he put on his hat and slightly tilted it towards her, his gaze tender with passion, heightening the force between them, then turned and left. Michonne watched as he walked out the door, exhilaration rushing through her. At which time, she spotted quite a few eyes staring her way, but just as many paying her no mind, giving her a mix of curious and hostile stares. Michonne turned her attention forward and took out her MasterCard to pay, when her phone suddenly dinged with a text.

 _~Hey. I'm in need of a painting. ~_

 _Rick_

Michonne smiled, knowing exactly what he was doing, and hesitated for a second to agree to what he was suggesting, but subsequently conceded, programming his number into her phone.

 _~I thought you weren't into art? ~_

She texted back.

 _~I'm not. ~_

He replied, filling her with mirth, even as she again began to wonder what hell she was doing.


	3. The Unexpected and the Unforeseen

**Thanks everyone for the support. I appreciate it.**

 **Makennas Hunter -** I've never watched the show Nashville. :) To answer your question, the Bluebird Café is not in Nashville it's in Palmer, Georgia. It's loosely based on Ria's Bluebird Café in Atlanta.

 **The Puppeteer –** The story is written in past tense. :)

 **Chapter Three**

The water looked inviting against the blue base of the pool and the large beach ball floating in its center. Across the way, Michonne sat in a lounge chair beneath the shade of a large umbrella, an iced tea on the table nearby and a magazine in hand. It was mid-afternoon, and with nothing to do she'd decided to relax by the pool instead of spending the rest of the day confined to her hotel room. After her breakfast with Rick, she'd taken several hours to explore downtown Palmer. There wasn't a lot of things to do, but Rick was right, they did have some pretty good shops and restaurants. She actually bought a couple of things, a beautiful antique box and a handwoven quilt, before grabbing some lunch. Upon arriving back at the hotel, she'd taken calls from her family, a couple of friends and caught up with Mike, before heading to the pool. She'd wanted to take a swim. However, she hadn't brought her bathing suit and wasn't about to waste money on the overpriced atrocities in the hotel gift shop. So she'd settled for changing into one of the casual sundresses she'd brought, and lounging at the pool, occasionally watching others enjoy the water as opposed to swimming herself.

The breeze briefly grew strong, causing small ripples in the water and lightly stirring the umbrellas that were shading the tables and lounge chairs. It was a welcome reprieve from the heat and humidity that had soared since that morning. Michonne flipped through her magazine, Glamour, until she arrived at an article that she thought would make for a curious read: Funny Orgasm Stories: "The Strangest Thing That Has Happened to Me Mid-Orgasm," but she was having a hard time concentrating on what she was reading. For she was thinking again about her unexpected breakfast with Rick Grimes. It had been a wonderful experience. He was funny and interesting, unbelievably sexy and relatable. Never in her life had she opened up so quickly to anyone, the way she'd opened up to him. Not only did they discuss their college studies and their fun experiences living on campus, but the challenges they faced with completing their degrees. She'd told him what only a selected few knew, that her parents had the means to pay her tuition, but were keen on making her work for everything she got. Her mother in particular making her college experience, in part, difficult.

While Rick had revealed that his experience had been somewhat akin to hers. He'd gotten accepted at what many would consider a great school, but had to settle for a smaller, much less expensive college – Valdosta State University, because his parents didn't have any money to help with tuition and refused to assist him with student loans. It had been a great discussion, before they'd moved on to less heavy things like travel and his son. Some of his favorite vacations had been the ruggedness of Arizona and the tranquil beaches of Mexico and Florida. The former, specifically Cancun and Cozumel, being his only trips out of the country. Though Rick admitted that he didn't spend as much time with his son as he should, it was obvious that he loved him very much, which she'd found endearing. He was an intriguing man, whom it was effortless to talk with, to laugh with, to just be with.

She wondered what he was doing at that very moment. She knew that he was working. But she was curious to know, was he arresting someone, helping someone? Was he writing a ticket? Was he thinking of her as she was him? Would he reach out to her later that day? If he did, what would she do? She asked herself. She really didn't know. She wanted to see him again, no doubt. She wanted to spend more time with him, but it was wrong. She was engaged to Mike. She was wearing his ring and hadn't given him any indication that she was having doubts. Nevertheless, what she felt for Rick Grimes was indescribable and could not be ignored. Or could it? She questioned.

Maybe the attraction she felt to him was purely superficial. He was a gorgeous man. She could ruin everything she had with Mike by engaging in something that wasn't real and at the end of the day had little substance. However, her heart strongly, inherently disputed those thoughts. Michonne attempted once more to focus on something other than what had become the strangeness that was her love life and began reading the article again, this time taking in every word, finding the topic entertaining and amusing, when her phone buzzed with a text. Instantly her calm was consumed by excitement, her breath seeming to choke in her chest. Calm down. She silently voiced within as she took a deep breath, then pushed it slowly from her lungs. It's not him. She reasoned. He's working. Her phone buzzed again and her reasoning had now vanquished the nervous anticipation she'd felt moments before. In no hurry to see who'd texted, she finished the paragraph she was reading then turned her attention to her phone.

 _~ So what do I need to do to get a painting? ~_

Michonne was stunned to see that it was indeed Rick who had text. The feelings she'd managed to reason away came rushing back with a vengeance. Michonne sat there staring at her phone, unable to think, unable to respond trying to keep the smile that was erupting within from emerging on her face, but she couldn't stop it. No matter how much she tried to suppress it, she was happy.

 _~ Aren't you supposed to be working? ~_ She text back after she'd taken a few breaths and gotten her thoughts together.

 _~ I am. I'm multitasking. ~_

~ :/ (smirk) ~

 _~ You never answered my question. ~_

 _~ Tell me what you like. ~_

 _~ I think you know. ~_

 _~ I don't want to assume. You may end up with something you don't want. ~_

 _~ I seriously doubt that. ~_

 _~ You seem sure. ~_

 _~ I've never been more sure of anything in my life. ~_

 _~ That's a powerful statement. You haven't even seen what I can do. ~_

 _~ I don't have to. I know whatever you do will be pleasing. ~_

 _~ I'm not so sure about that. ~_

 _~ Have dinner with me and we'll find out. ~_

 _~ I don't think that's a good idea. ~_

 _~ It's just dinner. ~_

 _~ Somehow I don't think dinner is just dinner with you. ~_

 _~ How about this … I'll be at The Pasta House at 8...~_

 _~ …You show… ~_

 _~ ...Great…~_

 _~…You don't… I'll get the message. ~_

Michonne waited a long moment, her heart beating a mile a minute, while she considered his suggestion, the risk in going, the regret in declining, then texted back.

 _~ I'll think about it ~_

~ _And I'll be waiting. ~_

The Next Day…

Rick knew she planned to show. He could feel it as strongly as he could feel the breath in his lungs. For no matter her situation, her impending marriage she was just as drawn to him as he was to her. He'd been excited, filled with elation at the thought of their impending meeting that would be their first date. Though they'd had breakfast that morning and what could be deemed as a date, it wasn't official. The breakfast wasn't planned. Well, not really. He had followed Michonne into the restaurant simply to see her, to say hello. However, the opportunity for more, breakfast with her, had presented itself and he'd gladly taken it. Nonetheless as great as their time together had been, he hadn't asked her for that time. He hadn't asked her to choose to have breakfast with him, which was something he wanted the pleasure of doing, and he had accomplished when he asked her to meet him at the Pasta House.

After she'd texted _"I'll think about"_ in response to his idea, he'd spent the remainder of his shift thinking about her. He was so excited, ripe with anticipation, that Shane had questioned his unusual mood and quickly guessed that it was due to a woman. He'd then expressed his shock and what seemed to border on contempt when he thought Rick had reconciled with Lori. But quickly changed his tune, his crass and philandering personality taking front and center again, when he learned the woman was not Lori. It was strange, but Rick spent a fleeting moment thinking about it due to Michonne and everything he'd learned about her during their breakfast. She had a pedant for eating healthy, nothing but egg white omelets or soy milk with Kashi GoLean Crunch for breakfast. She'd said. And rarely anything outside of green leafy vegetables and healthy proteins for dinner. She enjoyed the occasional thrill seeking adventure, such as parasailing, bungie jumping and sky diving, the former being something she tried to get in at least once a year. She'd confessed. But he'd been most surprised to learn of her struggle through college and how she persevered despite her mother attempting to sabotage her. She was a fascinating woman, beautiful inside and out. Talking with her was exhilarating. Laughing with her was easy. The connection between them was emotionally boundless and bonding, gentle, yet intense, something that he, and he knew she, had difficulty controlling. It was an incredible feeling. One that he could not ignore.

As the end of his shift drew near and thus the time that he was due to be at the restaurant and hopefully meet Michonne, Rick had wondered if he should've said 8:30 instead 8:00, to ensure that he'd have enough time to go home, shower, change and arrive at the restaurant without rushing. He'd even thought of calling her and changing the time, then offering to pick her up, if she'd decided to meet him. However, he'd thought better of it. She was cautious, understandably considering her situation. He didn't want to push too hard and scare her away. So he'd left things as they were. Not that it mattered. The date ended up cancelled, due to unforeseen circumstances. There was an incident with a couple of residents who were a constant menace to Palmer.

As a result, he'd text Michonne and cancel. He was hoping he would've at least resolved the incident within the hour. Maybe they could've met for a drink and appetizer at the hotel bar, but it had taken nearly three hours to clear the incident and investigate what happened. By the time he was done it was too late for a call. Or a change of venue. There was nowhere to go but a couple of seedy bars on the far side of town, and he wasn't about to suggest those. So, he'd text her again letting her know he'd just got done, apologized once more for the cancellation and asked to reschedule. She'd responded _"I understand. But I think we should hold on rescheduling."_ Rick had been frustrated and disappointed, worried that he'd lost his chance but concluded that he was overreacting. She was in Palmer for a couple of more days. He'd reminded himself. He still had a chance.

Rick slowed his speed, his feet no longer pounding the pavement, but shifting into a gentle glide. His heart dropping several beats a second as he skillfully handled his exerted lungs with strong managed breathes. Now winding down to a speed walk, Rick turned down his headphones and again contemplated contacting Michonne. He'd wanted to call her, text her the moment he'd awakened that morning but he didn't want to overstep his bounds. Though they were attracted to one another, undeniably connected, they weren't together. She was still an engaged woman. Thus he'd have to be careful how he played this. He'd finish his run. He thought, return home and shower, then try again. He'd ask her to meet him for breakfast or just coffee, and hope she'd say yes. With a plan in mind, Rick's trek became unhurried, his breathes growing closer to normal, when he came upon the unexpected, Michonne a few feet ahead, off the path and stretching on the grass near a tree, her back to him. His breath instantly quickened with tenderness and hope. He could easily walk by and she would never know he was there, but his heart, joyful and afire, guided his feet from the path onto the greenery towards her.

" _Looks like you've settled in."_ He said as he walked up beside her, noticing the sweat on her arms, back and neck, while also noting how appealing she looked even in this very casual state, with her dreads pulled into a ponytail and her face free of makeup.

" _Rick?!"_ She exclaimed with surprise, hardly recognizing him out of uniform, finding him incredibly attractive, all sweaty and in running shorts and a t-shirt.

" _I promise I'm not following you."_ He declared.

" _I know."_ She replied as she took a calming breath and returned her eyes ahead and stretched again, determined to not let the warmth, infinite and powerful, that he stirred in her heart detour her mind. Last night needed to happen. She'd realized. She'd let herself get caught up, excited about what was to come during their "meeting" which would've actually been their first real date that she planned to accept. However, when it was cancelled, she'd been crestfallen, until Mike and her friend Angela reminded her of reality.

Both had called, Mike being inquisitive and caring, wanting to make sure she was okay in this rural town where she didn't know anyone, still excited about the prospect of being her husband and announcing it to their families. While Angela said something interesting when she'd told her about her predicament, her doubts about Mike and her strong attraction to Rick Grimes, "an attraction is a distraction, and will come and go, but love is enduring." Angela was right. Love was enduring. Mike loved her and she him. When she returned home, they'd talk about her doubts and work through this. In the meantime, she couldn't allow herself to get distracted by Rick Grimes.

" _So…you run too?"_ Rick asked as he continued to watch her stretch, unable to avoid checking out her ass, finding it particularly nice.

" _Not normally, but I had to do something to work off the pancakes and barbecue from yesterday."_

" _Ah you tried Ted's Barbecue and Grill?"_

" _I did."_

" _How was it?"_

" _A little too delicious."_ She admitted with a small smile.

Rick laughed and shook his head just as Michonne finished stretching and began to walk away.

" _Look, I'm sorry again about last night."_ He quietly stated, falling in step beside her.

" _It's okay. It worked out for the best."_ She said, then briefly glanced his way and added. " _Don't you need to finish your run?"_ Steering the conversation away from where she knew, he wanted it to go, where she couldn't afford to go, if she was to remain true to her vow to work things through with Mike.

" _I'm done."_ Rick replied, disappointed by her walls seemingly going up and her desire to not discuss their cancelled plans from the night before. " _I was headed back to my car when I saw you."_ He continued. " _I thought it'd be rude, considering… if I didn't stop and say hello…plus, I was also curious about your first day in Palmer."_ He fessed up. " _Did you explore some of the shops? The sights?"_

" _You talk like I'm here on vacation."_ She countered his pleasant tone, with a hint of coolness, trying to resist his charm.

" _You did say you wanted to see more places in Georgia."_ He persisted.

" _Not like this. And this town isn't what I'd call one of the must see places in Georgia."_

" _Perhaps not. But you can still enjoy it."_ Rick contended as he looked her way, capturing what she'd planned to be a fleeting glance, but turned into him holding her eyes, igniting a fervor within, driving her faint response.

" _I know. And I am."_

" _Really?"_ Rick softly uttered, his gaze smoldering with ardor.

" _Yes."_ Michonne sighed, then forced her eyes ahead and silently questioned why she didn't just walk away from him, but instead she continued to speak. _The antique shops were nice._ She voiced with normalcy, gradually getting a handle on her emotions _. "I actually found this beautifully carved ivory box..."_

" _Ivory?"_

" _It's legal."_ She assured him. " _It's late 19_ _th_ _century. I wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't."_

" _So you're one of those types?"_ Rick jokingly quipped.

" _And what types is that?"_ Michonne questioned with an annoyance that had been helplessly infected by his jest, and was thus feigned.

" _Protector of wildlife? Some would say tree hugger?"_

" _Is that what you'd say?"_

" _No. You have a right to your beliefs."_

" _But you don't believe?"_

" _I believe. Just not as passionately as others."_

" _I wouldn't say my beliefs are passionate."_ Michonne lightly clarified. " _Otherwise I wouldn't have bought the box, but I do think now that we know better we should do better."_

" _That's always the hope but oftentimes where we fail."_ Rick stated, unknowingly striking a nerve with Michonne who realized for what seemed like the hundredth time, but had chosen to ignore, that she'd allowed herself to be taken in by him, to be consumed by the amazing feelings he awakened within her and thus the ease that came with just conversing with him.

" _I should go_." She said, then abruptly moved to head in a different direction than him.

" _Have breakfast with me?_!" Rick asserted, immediately shocking and stopping her. Michonne held his stare, feeling every emotion that was emanating from his eyes, his heart, kindling a rush of anticipation within her, pushing her to accept.

" _We can't do this."_ She declared. " _You have a wife and a child, and I have a fiancée."_

" _I'm separated."_

" _I'm not."_

" _I know… you're engaged, but there's something here, between us. I don't know what it is, but I just know that you're… unlike any woman I've ever met in my life."_

" _I bet I am."_ Michonne scoffed, then moved to go around him, even as she regretted saying what she didn't mean, using a lie as a tactic of avoidance.

" _That's not what I meant."_ Rick seriously stated, drawing her eyes to his, touching her deep, like he had so many times in the three days she'd known him. " _What I was trying to say is that I feel like… I feel like I know you. Like we met a life time ago, and we're just picking up where we left off. It sounds crazy, I know…"_

" _It doesn't."_ She conceded as their gazes remained bound, silently expressing what neither had to further clarify.

" _So what do we do?"_ Rick questioned, his voice hushed, yet strong, etched with tenderness as he slowly closed the distance between them, when she suddenly remembered what she'd said mere moments before, that she was an engaged woman.

" _There's nothing to do."_ Michonne contended her tone emotional and uneven as she backed away from him, putting a good distance between them.

" _Michonne."_ Rick passionately uttered as he moved forward, following her.

" _No."_ She firmly asserted, causing him to halt. " _Whatever this is, it can't go any further."_ She said. " _It's can't."_ She repeated again as if trying to convince herself, when they were interrupted by a local resident, Mrs. Draper, the town complainant, demanding that Rick arrest a "vagrant" that was "harassing" residents in the park. Rick agreed to check it out. However, he first wanted to respond to Michonne, but when he returned his eyes her way, he was disheartened to find she was nowhere in sight.


	4. Independence at the Lake

Thanks everyone for reading and responding!

 **Chapter Four**

Michonne couldn't believe her time in Palmer was almost over. One more day and she'd be back to civilization. Though her time there hadn't been bad, she had after all met Rick Grimes, found some nice items to take home and was pleasantly surprised by the great restaurants and fairly nice people, she was ready to get back to Atlanta, not just because Atlanta was home, but because she didn't know how much longer she could remain in Palmer and not be completely undone by Rick Grimes. Seeing him in the park had done something to her. She knew it was because he'd stated aloud what they both knew, what they'd both admitted, that something was happening between them. Though she took the opportunity when it presented itself to escape Rick's truthful deduction and her near feeble attempt to shut him down, she couldn't stop what she felt inside. She'd tried. Following her encounter with him, she'd spent the remainder of the day in her hotel room for fear of running into him again. She'd hung the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on her door, ordered in all of her meals and fought to distract herself. She'd read a few chapters of the book she'd bought in the gift shop, had talked to friends and of course Mike. She'd even done a little work. For a while, she'd been successful, busying herself enough where she didn't have room for thoughts of Rick, in particular when she was answering her work emails and updating project timelines. But then she had a lull, an intense rainstorm drew her to the window and away from her work. As a result, her mind drifted back to Rick, his smile, his persistence, his mind, the incredible way he made her feel. Considering how they'd left things, she was surprised and admittedly disappointed that he hadn't reached out to her. Maybe he'd accepted what she'd said and given up? That would've been for the best, but she couldn't deny, it wasn't what she wanted. Michonne had turned from the storm that still raged outside, determined to get a handle on the one that was stirring within her. She returned to the desk and just as she touched fingers to keys to resume her work, her plan was shattered…

 _~ I understand…But I'd still like to be friends. ~_

The conflict in heart melded into excitement and helpless joy, but she remained strong, responding with her head instead of her heart.

 _~ I don't think that's possible. ~_

 _~ Anything is possible ~_

Michonne felt the words, brimming with probability, heating her with hope.

 _~ Besides I still know nothing about paintings…~_ Rick had added _~...and there are beautiful places in Georgia I'm certain you don't know about but I think you might want to see ~_

 _~ That's what Trip Advisor and Google are for. ~_

 _~ Looking at what some random person has said on the Internet is not quite the same as knowing someone who can tell you. ~_

 _~ You have a point ~_

 _~ I always do ;) ~_

 _~ Confident aren't we? ~_

 _~ I try…~_

 _~ So what do you say? ~_

Michonne didn't immediately respond, for her mind was urging her to say no, reminding her that she was engaged to Mike and that being friends with Rick Grimes would never stop at friendship, that it would always go beyond that. It already had. Her heart pounded in her chest, full and desirous. Her breath quick and shallow. The practical in her head warring with the passion in her heart, when one finally bested the other and thus made her decision….

 _~ Knowing someone… is more appealing than some random stranger on the internet. ~_

 _~ Friends then? ~_

She considered what she'd just implied, what her answer would mean, then answered before she could change her mind.

 _~ Friends :) ~_

* * *

The Next Day - 4th of July

Sitting at that hotel, confined to her room for another day, in an attempt to avoid Rick Grimes was not feasible. Michonne thought. She'd go stir crazy. Besides they'd agreed to be just friends and this would be her last full day in Palmer. For tomorrow she'd likely be on the road fairly early provided the part for her car came in as quickly as Darryl expected. In addition to that, Rick was likely working today, so if she did see him it would be in passing, and even if it wasn't, she could handle him. She was a grown woman who was more than capable of controlling her emotions. She just had to get through this day and what a day it should be. It was the 4th of July, a day of celebration. Surprisingly Palmer did a big event for the holiday - an annual Independence Day Festival at the lake, which explained why the downtown hotels were nearly sold out with guests. Not only were people in town visiting family but they were in Palmer for the two-day festival that had started on the 3rd and went through the holiday. With there being nothing else to do and the hotel offering a free shuttle to and from the event for its guests, Michonne decided to check it out. She'd put on her white sundress, brown wedge sandals, twisted up her hair into a messy bun and took the shuttle to the lake. The day was beautiful. Georgia hot, but minor humidity. There was music, dancing, booths, activities and lots of food. Though the food looked delicious, she'd not indulged right away. She'd only had a bag of fresh popcorn and a lemon ICEE to drink. However, she had played a few carnival games and won a couple of uselessly rope bracelets and glowing bead necklaces. It had been fun, a welcomed alternative to announcing her engagement to her and Mike's families. She'd spoken to him earlier, before he'd begun his 4th of July activities with his family. He was still severely disappointed about their delayed plans. He'd even suggested again that they announce it over Skype, but she'd successfully shut the idea down. Even though her plan was to work through her doubts and continue on with the engagement, she wasn't ready to announce it to the world, and she never would be until she was completely certain that she was making the right choice in marrying him. Michonne walked through the festival, watching kids playing, couples kissing, families enjoying, savoring the carefree atmosphere. Her mind again went to Rick, who never seemed to be far from her thoughts. She wondered if he was there, if she might see him, a part of her hoping she would, but strangely unlike in days past the idea didn't scare her. Perhaps she'd truly accepted that they could be just friends. She mused. Or maybe you've accepted that you can't run from what you feel for him. Her heart strongly countered. Ignoring both thoughts Michonne continued her walk, getting a full view of the lake and stopped when she became intrigued by the "ride" that entailed people getting inside what looked like giant plastic balloon balls then proceeding to roll them over the water.

 _Thinking of giving it a try?_ She heard from behind, the deep, smooth voice filling her with a surprised heat.

 _That's right, just thinking._ She uttered after not answering right away, continuing to stare ahead, her heart joyful with expectance as Rick came to stand at her side.

 _Oh come on. It'll be fun_. He teased.

 _Are you going to do it?_ Michonne asked, turning her eyes to him, her breath catching at the sight of his attire, dark jeans and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up.

 _I've done it._ He claimed, looking her way and was instantly struck by how beautiful she looked, her gorgeous dark skin seeming to glow against the white strapless sundress she wore. Their eyes met, for a moment seizing one another, inflaming them with felicity and wanting. When Rick slowly turned his eyes back to the activities on the lake and continued to speak. _I spent the entire experience on my ass._ He chuckled at the memory, which caused Michonne to laugh.

 _So why are you trying to convince me to do it?_ She then lightly asked.

 _You may be better at it than me, and besides I didn't say the experience was bad._

 _Are you trying to say 15 minutes spinning on your ass was fun?_ She questioned with disbelief, eying him once more.

 _Actually it was._ He contended with a smile as his gaze briefly caught hers, warming her heart.

 _Yeah right._

 _It was a little humiliating but strangely liberating, and fun_. He admitted again watching the balls roll over the water.

 _But you won't do it again because?_

 _I didn't say I wouldn't do it again, just not today._

 _Ok._ She laughed, then turned to go.

 _May I walk with you?_ Rick quietly asked, falling in step next to her.

 _I don't think that's a good idea._ Michonne softly replied.

 _Why not? We're friends right?_

 _Yes, but we're here in your town, amongst your people, who will think something is happening that isn't, if we're constantly seen together._

 _You're a visitor to this town and a friend, who I'm courteously showing around the festival._

 _You're out of uniform and off duty, showing this friend, who the town will see as a visitor, around a 4_ _th_ _of July festival. Ain't that much courtesy in the world._

 _Maybe not in Atl…._ Rick began but was interrupted by a young lady who was working the nearby ice cream stand, yelling for people to buy, even going so far as to address him by name "Officer Grimes" in an attempt to get him to make a purchase. Rick had planned on passing it up but the young lady's insistence and the persistent heat was enough for him to relent and stop at the stand.

 _You want some ice cream?_ He asked Michonne who he was pleased to see had stopped with him. _My treat._ He added. Michonne couldn't help but be touched by his tenacity but frustrated, yet mirthful at her inability to resist him.

 _I'll have one scoop of Rocky Road on a waffle cone._ He told the young woman. _How about you?_ He asked, turning his gaze to Michonne who smiled in spite of herself and briefly dropped her eyes.

 _I'll have one scoop of Butter Pecan on a waffle cone._ Rick slightly nodded in approval, a mild smirk on his face.

* * *

Minutes later, they'd received the cones and continued their walk while enjoying the cool and delicious treat.

 _This is good._ Michonne stated, then took another taste of her Butter Pecan.

 _It is._ Rick replied, after swallowing a mouth full of his Rock Road, feeling completely content in the moment. _So, tomorrow is it. You're back to Atlanta…back to your fiancée._ He stated in a way that bordered on a question.

 _That's the plan._ Michonne quietly confirmed, the reality of his words hitting her with a strong sense of melancholy.

 _What time did Darryl say he'd have your car ready?_

 _I don't know._ _He has to wait on the part to arrive. It should be in first thing in the morning which means I should be on the road well before noon._

 _I can give you a ride to the shop._

 _That won't be necessary._

 _It's not a problem._ Rick assured.

 _Darryl is sending his apprentice, Jay, to pick me up._ Michonne revealed, turning down the offer that she wanted so much to accept, but couldn't if she hoped to keep her amorous feelings at bay. The walk turned silent, companionable in its quietness as they finished their ice cream and became lost in their thoughts. It didn't seem possible that they'd only known each other for a few days and yet she was the most real thing he'd ever experienced in his life. Rick mused. He wanted to ask her for a chance, something more than a casual acquaintanceship. But what would that mean? He'd be reneging on his proposal of friendship. Furthermore, she was still engaged. And though he believed the engagement wouldn't last. Would she give him a chance?

 _They have a few art booths over near the oak trees._ Rick slowly stated upon spotting the signage and stands across the lawn, his mind in the present, yet distracted by his thoughts. _It won't be anything like what you'd see at a festival in Atlanta, but it might be worth a look if you're interested._

 _I'm always interested in art._ Michonne proclaimed. Rick softly smiled as they then headed in the direction of the booths, both finishing off the remainder of their ice cream as they approached the first one.

 _How did you manage to get off duty today with all of this going on?_ She asked, stopping to toss the napkin she used to keep her hands and face free of any dripping ice cream.

 _I'm not completely off._ He said as he pointed out the walkie talkie and service weapon she'd not seen on his hip then threw away the extra napkins he'd also used to help manage his melting ice cream. _I'm on call. If anything happens, I'll have to take care of it._

 _Do much happen here with it being a small town?_

 _Not much in the way of murder or rape. Thank goodness._ _But lots of domestic violence, breaking and entering due to drugs. Drug dealers and users are a real problem. It's a work in progress to try and counter the issue._ He said as they came upon the art booths and immediately found just as he had warned, that the offerings weren't that great. Most of the "art" was pottery that wasn't well molded and the few paintings were nice, but weren't up to par in Michonne's eyes. However, just as they were leaving the art section, something caught her eye inside a booth several feet down the way.

 _Wow._ She whispered aloud as she quickly headed in the direction of the fascinating item.

 _What?_ Rick asked as he followed, when Michonne pointed out what she'd seen. _You mean the cat?_ He critically stated.

 _I would expect no less of a response from the untrained eye_. She humorously quipped as her eyes remained fixed on the cat to which they were now getting a closer view.

 _That's hardly a DaVinci._ Rick flippantly countered.

 _It doesn't have to be. It's the brilliant color and the perfect molding that makes it a gorgeous work._

 _If you say so._ Rick stated even as he smiled admiringly at her passion in describing the colorful work that appeared to be made of paper mache.

 _I wonder how much he wants…_ She started to say, but stopped mid-sentence seeing that the cat was a prize in a shooting game.

 _Not your thing?_ Rick lightly asked.

 _No. It's not._

 _I can help._

 _No. You're not doing this for me_. She firmly rejected, looking him in the eyes and found the reverence there to be poignant, nearly disarming. _Just because I don't do guns doesn't mean I can't do this._ She unevenly stated as she returned her gaze forward.

 _I know. That's why I'm going to show you._ Rick casually replied, then directed a bewildered Michonne to follow him, which she reluctantly complied. They walked up to the booth and Rick told the man, who he knew, Saul, that Michonne wanted to play. The man then explained the game. If she hit five bullseyes she'd win which ever prize in the booth she wanted. She'd get eight chances with each play. Michonne whipped out the tickets she'd purchased earlier and handed the man the five that were required to play.

She then walked up to the toy gun and withdrew it from the makeshift holster, then nervously moved to point it, when suddenly she felt strong hands on her waist, squaring her stance and a faint breath, warm on her neck. _Here's where I show you._ Rick whispered in her ear, causing her to tremble with fire. He then slipped his hands over hers and adjusted the way she was holding the weapon. Michonne was speechless, her voice muted by the hotness that was flooding her veins, making her breathless.

 _Now, stay calm, focused… then pull the trigger when you're ready_. He uttered in a hushed tone. Michonne could hardly breath due his closeness, the quaking desire he was igniting within her. How the hell was she gone calmly pull the trigger? She thought, with him standing so distractingly behind her. As if he was in her head, hearing her musings, Rick slowly dropped his hands from hers, caressing them as he pulled away, spiking the fervor that was already flaming within her. She took another deep controlled breath, remembering what he'd said and pulled the trigger. She missed.

 _Calm and focused_. Rick quietly coached her from behind. Michonne replayed his statement in her mind and let it resonate within, then shot again. She hit the bullseye square in the middle and silently cheered, taking a deep breath of relief.

 _One down, four more to go._ Rick encouraged, his voice etched with excitement. Michonne hit three more bullseyes in a row, but missed the fourth. She dropped her hands to her side, still holding the gun, and took a deep breath. She felt nervous and excited by the small crowd that had gathered around the booth. She had two more shots and either she'd win in movie style fashion or embarrass herself considerably. Seeming to sense her apprehension, Rick stepped closer behind her and whispered. _You can do this._

Michonne knew that she could and the power of his presence, his tenderness, fueled her confidence, crushing any lingering anxiety. She lifted the gun, drew in the air around her, focused and pulled the trigger. Bullseye! She hit it square in the middle, driving the small audience around the booth to cheer. Michonne yelled with happiness, just as she was accosted, enfolded in warmth igniting an affection and fervency, ardent and electrifying, that charged through her. It was Rick, in his excitement, taking her in his arms before she could understand what he was doing and respond. Rick felt joyful and impassioned, moved by the kinetic affection that grew for her in his heart, compelling him to pull her closer, but Michonne managed to quickly pull away, to fight the intensity of the moment. They stood for a brief second their gazes fervidly locked both reeling with emotion, when Michonne forced her eyes away, awkwardly turned back to the booth and told Saul what she wanted - the paper mache cat.


	5. The Epiphany

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding!**

 **Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend.**

 **Chapter Five**

They still felt it, the ardor, the giddiness, the intense emotion, but it had settled, no longer a blazing fire, threatening to consume them, yet smoldering, right beneath the surface, capable of reigniting at any moment. Michonne knew that this was the time to go, to tell Rick something, anything that would remove her from this situation that had quickly escalated to something deeper than friendship, but she couldn't walk away. For once, she needed to just live in the moment, to not over think things, to do what she wanted, which was to just be with Rick Grimes. Michonne proudly gazed at her paper mache cat as they resumed their walk about the festival, finding it unbelievable that she'd won it by shooting a gun. Yeah. It wasn't real, but handling any type of gun just wasn't her thing. It had actually been fun, largely because of Rick. She thought as the memory of his closeness, his touch, fanned the flames that were fervid in her heart.

 _Thank you for the lesson._ She then quietly stated as she glanced his way.

 _It was easy. You're a quick learner._ Rick replied, eying her with adoration.

Michonne smiled at the compliment. _It was kind of fun._ She then admitted.

 _Really? You ready for the gun range?_

 _I didn't say that_. She laughed, which made Rick chuckle. _It was an experience._

 _That got you that thing_. He teased, pointing at her prize.

 _It's not a thing. It's a paper mache cat. It's art_. Michonne humorously countered.

 _If you say so._ Rick cracked. _You hungry?_

 _I could use a bite._

Michonne should've known Rick's version of getting food would consist of something she would never eat, and consider completely unhealthy. He'd suggested the Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno Corn Dogs, Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog, a Chicken Slaw Burger on a Fried Bacon Bun or a Funnel Cake Bacon and Beef Burger. She knew not to inquire about a healthy option, this was after all a festival, but she had to ask…

 _Are there any options that don't include bacon?_

 _You're at a 4_ _th_ _of July festival in the deep south, everything is gone be fried and topped with bacon._ Rick lightly replied to which Michonne sighed and shook her head. _Come on, live a little._ He said, smiling her way.

 _Is every conversation we have about food going to go this way? With you trying to convince me to eat something that's completely insalubrious?_ She playfully asked.

 _Not every conversation._ He replied, his eyes meeting hers stoking the fire between them. _Besides, it's not completely unhealthy._ He calmly continued as he returned his gaze ahead, trying hard to play it cool, to control what he was feeling, to not let it drive him to do something impulsive, like the hug at the shooting game, and thus screw up this delicate line of friendship and amour they were walking. _I think everything I mentioned has at least one thing from the five food groups._ He quipped, his words instantly filling her with mirth, causing her to laugh as she again shook her head. _What? It's the truth._ He laughed too.

 _Ok, run down your suggestions again._ Michonne asked, the humor still in her voice.

Rick went over the choices again, even adding in a few others. However, he'd put specific focus on the Funnel Cake Burger which she had been vehemently against, mainly because it was entirely too big. Nevertheless, he'd really sold its deliciousness, with a mouthwatering description and offered to share one with her, which meant she wouldn't have to eat or waste too much food. She'd ultimately conceded, going with the burger. It sounded the least like a coronary waiting to happen. The Funnel Cake Burger had been better than she'd expected, a wonderful combination of sweet, salty and a hint of spice that made the sandwich pop with flavor. Michonne and Rick had the server split the large burger in two, which Rick had insisted on paying for, and she'd initially rejected, but eventually allowed. They'd then took a seat at a nearby table and ate, while people watching and talking. Their conversation consisted of many topics, serious and frivolous -their activities on past Independence Days. Michonne's typically consisted of the traditional events - a cookout and fireworks, but she'd mentioned she'd spent one 4th of July in the Bahamas with friends during their annual Caribbean festival and it had been a blast. While Rick almost always did the holiday in Palmer or at his parent's house in Eastman. The conversation had then drifted to holidays in general, specifically their favorites. Michonne confessed that she wasn't really a big fan of any of them. She enjoyed the activities they offered, specifically those for Independence Day because she almost always spent that holiday with friends and of course she welcomed the days off from work. New Year's was great too, for the same reasons, but the big holidays – Thanksgiving and Christmas were always difficult, even when she was a child, due to her mother. It was never about just enjoying the holiday and being with family. It was always about painting this perfect picture for her friends and family that oftentimes wasn't perfect at all. It somewhat tainted her view of those holidays, and as a result she rarely celebrated them unless she was going home to visit family. Rick had been surprised by her admission. Almost everyone he knew enjoyed at least Christmas, but he understood Michonne's reasons for not being a fan of the holiday. He'd then revealed that he enjoyed Christmas mostly because of his son. The holiday was always exciting with a kid. He'd said, but he enjoyed Thanksgiving more because it had always been a time for him to reconnect with his parents, brother, aunts and cousins, and his parents always did it up, hosting a big dinner at their house with all the family.

 _Sounds nice._ Michonne replied, thinking about her family that tried to do the same, but how it always ended in chaos due to the inauthenticity and thus arguments that ensued.

 _It is._ Rick had confirmed, then took a serving of the curly fries he included with their sandwich and beer. They continued to people watch and eat, their silence companionable, feeling like the most natural thing in the world, for them to feel connected even as both quietly engaged in their thoughts.

 _Aw. I always wanted one of those_. Michonne suddenly exclaimed. Rick followed her eyes to a little girl who was pushing a plastic grocery basket full of fake eggs, milk, boxes of dried foods and fruit. _Kind of odd that she'd have it here though._ She lightly noted.

 _That's kids for you. Their favorite toy goes where they go, no matter the circumstance…So was that one of your birthday wishes?_ Rick then curiously asked.

 _Christmas actually._

 _Really?_

Michonne nodded due to her mouth being full of the curly fries she could no longer resist. _I got a dollhouse instead_. She said after swallowing.

 _That sounds better than the basket._

 _It was a big dollhouse. I enjoyed it, but I really wanted that basket._ She quipped with a smile.

 _That reminds me of when I wanted a Rage Against the Machine album for Christmas one year. My parents discovered the elicit content in their songs and I ended up with a K.D. Lang album instead._

 _What?!_ Michonne exclaimed in disbelief.

 _Yeah_. Rick retorted his face saying it all.

 _But why K.D. Lang?_ She asked, her amusement bubbling over.

 _I don't know. You'd have to ask my parents. Needlessly to say that wasn't a particularly good Christmas_.

 _Rage Against the Machine huh? I never would've guessed you were a fan._

 _What? Did you think I was all Honky Tonk and Twang?_

 _Something like that._

 _You'll find there's a lot of things about me that will surprise you Ms. Mitchell._

 _I don't doubt that._ She softly uttered, as their eyes met, holding for a moment, heat passing between them when Rick forced himself to look away, to keep his emotions in check, and changed the direction of their discussion.

 _So, how about you?_ He asked prompting Michonne to give him a questioning look. _What music gave your parents nightmares?_

 _Nothing really. I was buried in symphonies, and a little Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, but I did discover what I was missing in college._

Michonne went on to tell Rick about how as a teen she lived for the piano, per her parent's insistence, hence her being consumed by symphonies, but she'd eventually discovered gangsta rap, which at the time, she was sure her mom would've been horrified if she knew. Ultimately Michonne came to love all types of music, save for honky tonk country, which had given Rick a laugh. He "sadly" admitted that he enjoyed some folk country. He also liked rock – The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, pop – U2, Goo Goo Dolls and surprised Michonne when he mentioned his love for old school R&B specifically – Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. His uncle was quite the liberal. He'd said, who'd exposed him to lots of music that his "very conservative, Republican parents" wouldn't dare entertain. Michonne had then revealed that her parents were Republican too, but she was middle of the road as was Rick, which had prompted a brief discussion about politics – gun control and immigration. One of which they found they were somewhat on the same page, while the other they were the complete opposite. From there they'd somehow hit on television and movies, both had limited time for the former due to work and their personal lives but when Michonne did watch she enjoyed Game of Thrones, How To Get Away With Murder, Gotham and Blackish. Rick often watched The Flash with his son, who loved the show, but must see TV for him was Game of Thrones, Daredevil, Hell on Wheels and TURN. They'd gotten into a big discussion about Game of Thrones, dissecting the intricacies of the story and debating who'd be left standing in the end before drifting to movies. Both discovering that they had similar taste in that entertainment medium, liking everything from action adventure, to comedies and drama. Rick had stated that over the years he'd had to get into kid's movies, something he had not entertained before, due to his son. Carl was now older and therefore was moving into the pre-adolescent phase of his entertainment interests but he still occasionally delved into early childhood things, which Rick supported. He wasn't particularly eager for Carl to grow up.

The brief mention of Carl had led to a discussion about their respective relationships with Rick disclosing why his marriage was over. He stated that neither had done anything terrible. They were just too young when they married. He cared about her, but he wasn't in love with her. He'd divulged. Michonne had in turn opened up about Mike, how they'd been together for four years and had been living together for two. Marriage was the next logical step for them. Therefore, she'd accepted his proposal.

 _I love him._ She'd stated aloud, almost as if she was talking to herself. _But I don't know if I'm in love with him._ She quietly, slowly confessed what she hadn't realized until that moment, surprising herself and Rick, who decided right then to make his own admission, that he wanted more than their friendship that bordered on a courtship. He wanted a real chance at a relationship with her. However, before he could speak, he was stopped by his walkie talkie crackling to life, calling for all units to assist with an incident on the east grounds of the festival.

* * *

Michonne finished her meal alone then resumed her walk around the vast festival grounds. Though she'd been disappointed that Rick had been called away, in the same vein she'd been thankful for the interruption. For she'd been deeply troubled by her realization about Mike and needed some time to process. Surely her deduction wasn't true, that she wasn't in love with him? She questioned herself. Had she ever been in love with him? When he called, that question had made her response to him more difficult than in days past. As a result, she had cut the call short, telling him that she wasn't feeling well and planned to return to the hotel. It wasn't a lie. Her head and heart were conflicted, weary with truth and desire, and though she wanted to see Rick again, to spend more time with him, it was best that she leave. Michonne turned to head for the shuttle stop just as her phone pinged to life…

 _~Hey. I'm still working this incident...~_

 _~But when I'm done I'd like to see you. ~_

 _~Where? ~_ She couldn't stop herself from asking.

 _~At sunset the east side of the lake near the pink Magnolia trees… it's the best place to see the fireworks. ~_

Excitement rushed her heart, for a split second, dispelling the conflict within. Then out of nowhere rose alarm, the fear that she thought was gone when she'd accepted that she and Rick were just friends. But now that fear had returned with a vengeance, warning her of what could happen if she accepted Rick's invitation. No matter how real, how right things felt with him and how uncertain she was about Mike, she couldn't meet Rick at sunset with the unresolved situation she had back home. Michonne stared at her phone wanting so much to answer opposite her choice, but instead she'd stayed strong, texting her response as she made her way towards the exit of the grounds.

* * *

Rick sat alone on the east side of the lake, with the pink magnolia trees mere feet away. Though it was arguably the best location to see the fireworks at the lake, most people stuck to the west side, where they could remain close to beer and food while the main event was going on, and quickly get to their cars when it was over. Rick glanced down the way and saw a couple getting settled on a palate and another much further down doing the same. The sunset was almost done. He thought, returning his eyes to the lake. Dramatic clouds bathed in an array of vibrant colors, but still no Michonne. His heart raced with anticipation and fear, anticipation - at the thought of spending the evening with her, which would be a great culmination to the day they'd had together, fear - that she'd decided not to take him up on his offer. For her last response to him had been vague - _We'll see_. And she hadn't responded when he'd attempted to get a more definitive answer. Had he pushed too hard? Asked for too much? He anxiously questioned within. _I guess I'll soon find out._ He whispered aloud. Rick's breath was heavy, his heart full with wanting, when the faint smell of cherry blossoms suddenly permeated the air, and he heard the soft sound of footsteps walking over the grass behind him. His breath caught in his throat, his heart, beat faster with excitement, then the moment came, when she sat quietly beside him.

 _You came._ He uttered, his eyes remaining forward as he struggled to calm the relief and happiness exploding within him.

 _You said this is the best view in town to see the fireworks._ Michonne softly replied as she slightly adjusted how she was sitting, to move a little closer to him. Rick looked her way, his eyes dark and smoldering, making her feel heated and vulnerable, to silently repeat the question she'd had almost since the moment she'd met him – what the hell am I doing? She'd planned to return to the hotel and never look back, and she had for a while, but then he'd asked her again, to join him and her resolve had helplessly crumbled.

 _Where's your cat?_ He asked, expelling her doubt with his unforeseen question. For a second, Michonne was thrown, not expecting that question at all, then smiled at his unpredictability and answered.

 _I took it back to the hotel._ Rick gave her a questioning look and was about to ask why she'd gone back to her room when without warning the fireworks started, interrupting his thought.

* * *

For twenty minutes the sky was adorned with a spectacular display of patriotic colors, inciting the observing crowd to excited screams and aahs. Michonne and Rick watched in silence, appreciating the beautiful spectacle of the show, but relishing more this moment that they were having together. They sat side by side, their breathes shallow, their spirits amorous and agog as their hands rested dangerously close on the blanket beneath them. They wanted so much to touch, to feel the raw passion that only the other could ignite. Yet, they were reluctant to act for fear of where it could lead, the end of their 'friendship' and/or a betrayal of a commitment elsewhere. Nonetheless this was the end, their end. They both slowly realized. For when the show came to a close, their time together would be over. They'd be forced to return to their separate lives, in separate worlds, and though they'd vowed to keep in touch under the guise of friendship, they'd likely never to see each other again.

* * *

The fireworks then came more frequently, staccato in nature, building towards a crescendo, driving them closer, allowing their hearts to guide them. When just as quickly as it started, the show was over. There was one final bang, a galactic exhibition in the sky, before all went dark save for the moon and a brilliance of what looked like a million stars. The chance was gone.

Disappointed, yet accepting nothing could happen, Michonne immediately moved to go, again questioning her logic. Sadly, asking, what she hoped to gain by putting herself in this situation that could only cause hurt in the end? That was causing her hurt now, when she felt it, the strength and warmth of Rick's hand, gently coming to rest atop hers. Fire ignited in her veins, her breath quickening, making her feel faint. She slowly lowered her eyes to her side, surreally watching as she intertwined her fingers with his. She then lifted her eyes and found the most tender blue gaze, flaming with fervor in the moonlight, meeting her stare. Rick took a shaky breath, his heart an eruption of joy and desire, gradually leaned in and was met halfway by her lips touching his. Heat, electric and powerful, surged through them, seizing their breath, compelling them to briefly pull away, their lips lingering a breath apart before hotly meeting again. Rick groaned at her sweet taste as he brought a hand to her cheek and delved deeper, steamily, skillfully exploring her tongue, rousing Michonne to a moan. She then pulled him closer, sensuously matching his ardor, intensifying their need, driving their kisses to become more fervent, as they got lost in each other, the tenderness and wanting, and reclined to the blanket beneath them.


	6. Interruptus

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding! As always I appreciate the support!**

 **Chapter Six**

Michonne sat alone, staring out the glass door at the deserted road and what looked like endless acres of foliage and trees. She was waiting for Darryl to finish repairing her car, but also something else, someone else – Rick Grimes. Though it had been many hours ago, she was still reeling from what had happened at the festival. She could still feel the humidity in the air, hear the cicadas around them, smell the dampness of the lake and the sulfur from the fireworks. She could feel him still, every part of Rick Grimes, his body against hers, his hardness, the roughness of his light beard, tantalizing against her skin as he'd passionately kissed her just below the ear, then slowly descended to her neck, sending heated ripples through her form. She'd felt herself slipping, her body becoming more pliant as she'd fallen deeper under his spell, the hotness and tenderness that was Rick Grimes, when he'd suspended his sensuous trek to move his gun, that had slipped around his belt to settle between his legs. For an instant she'd escaped the passionate haze, in just enough time for logic to seize the moment...

 _No._ She'd faintly whispered, prompting Rick, who'd commenced his seduction, to stop mid caress, his mouth hot at the curve on the top of her breast. He'd returned his eyes to hers, the moonlight illuminating the fervor in his stare, nearly undoing her. Michonne closed her eyes, drew a calming breath and swallowed her desire.

 _I can't do this_. She'd shakily uttered, but with more strength. _I'm not ready._

There was a lengthy quiet, but she could feel him, so close, his heart pounding in his chest, matching the beat of hers, his warm breath heavy and uneven, caressing her lips, making her tremble with longing.

 _I know_. He'd then sighed, shocking her, driving her to open her eyes to find his gaze desirous and reverent. Their eyes held, the air rushing through their lungs, their hearts burning with wanting and the rightness of what they were feeling. Michonne wanted so desperately to taste him again, to feel his mouth against hers, and she could see in his eyes, that he ached for the same, but instead he'd dropped his gaze and with pure strength of will, slowly moved away from her. Rick sat at her side his head down, fighting to control the ardor inside while Michonne continued to lay on the blanket, bringing a hand to her eyes as she deeply exhaled and tried to do the same.

 _I don't want this to be the end_. He'd then managed to state, his voice husky and unsteady as he'd turned his eyes to her but looked away due to his desire becoming nearly too intense to bare.

 _Me neither._ She'd quietly replied as she'd slowly sat up, looking Rick's way, but her yearning for him was nearly overwhelming, driving her to turn her gaze to the dark lake.

 _What do we do?_ Rick had asked, still looking forward.

 _We need time…I need time._ Michonne had uttered, gradually starting to sober, to think more about the situation she still needed to resolve at home, and the situation he still needed to resolve there, with his wife and child. Rick slightly nodded his head, understanding what she was saying but hesitant to wait for fear that he would lose her, lose his chance.

 _How much time?_ He'd then asked, his voice almost inaudible.

 _I don't know._ She'd replied, when her phone began to ring before either could say more.

* * *

Rick couldn't help but listen to her call. He knew from her responses that it was her fiancée. For Mike had asked her how she was doing, then gone on to tell her about his day, before they'd had an uncomfortable discussion about their engagement, which Michonne had quickly cut short. It had been difficult for Rick to hear, but thankfully the call had only lasted a few minutes. After she'd hung up, they were set on resuming their conversation where they'd left off, but they were interrupted by the Sheriff, his voice commanding over the radio, asking for Rick's location. Rick had immediately replied as his eyes, flaming and tender, had remained fixed on Michonne, who rose from the blanket and prepared to leave. He'd given the Sheriff his position and the man had directed him to help clear out the people north of the lake once he'd finished clearing the area where he was now. Rick had accepted the directive and closed off the communication to find Michonne waiting. Once again they'd attempted to conclude their talk, but duty called again with a request for him to report to the north side of the lake immediately. He and Michonne took one final gaze at each other, their eyes passionate with yearning, both wanting so much to say more, but knowing they didn't have the time. Michonne had reluctantly turned away from him and made her way towards the exit while Rick watched in angst as she disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

Rick had then spent the next two and a half hours working at the lake, clearing out the lingering people, ensuring there were no unauthorized persons remaining on the property after hours, but his mind had stayed heavily on Michonne. How it felt, having her so close to him, her soft skin, the fire in her touch, the sweet fragrance that seemed to be only her. And it wasn't just the physical attraction that he couldn't shake, but what she did to his heart. She had awakened something incredibly profound within him, emotions that he didn't even know existed. He wanted to see her again, that night, but he'd finished up extremely late, and as a result he'd hesitantly gone home. However, he couldn't sleep. He was too wound up, filled with questions and yearning, thinking that if Michonne felt even a smidgen of what he felt, she would be restless too. So he'd sent her a text.

 _~How much time? ~_

There was a wait that was agonizing, making him question if she was indeed awake, if he'd completely misread what he felt from her, but she'd then responded.

 _~6 months. ~_

His heart dropped, with hurt and disappointment.

 _~Why? ~_

 _~You're still married. I still have a fiancée and I need to be sure that this is real. ~_

 _~It's real. ~_ Rick had replied. The words typed and glowing on his phone, not justly expressing his emotions. He wanted to dial her instead, to call her and say what he was feeling in his heart, but he'd refrained from doing so because he didn't want to push too hard and cause her to completely shut him out.

 _~Then 6 months shouldn't make a difference.~._

Rick pained at the memory of her response. She was right though. They needed time. She was still engaged, and though he was separated from Lori, he still lived at their home – in the garage apartment, and they were still married. He needed to fix that before he could ask Michonne for anything. This situation was so insane. Rick thought as he dressed for work. They'd only just met. There shouldn't be feelings between them this strong. Yet his heart said different. Rick buttoned his shirt and told himself that the last three days were the past and that they'd now go back to their separate lives, at least for the next 6 months, and when that time was over Michonne would see that what they feel was more than real. He could do this. He uttered within trying to convince himself. He was going to do this. He was on his way to work now. He'd put in a full day and by the time he got home Carl, who he hadn't seen in days and missed terribly, would be there. He couldn't wait to see him, to hear every detail about his holiday with his grandparents and cousins. He mused, excited by the thought, but already, desperately missing Michonne. His heart fiercely pounded with longing and his hands shook with emotion, making it impossible for him to fasten his gun belt, when it hit him like a ton a bricks. She was what he didn't know he wanted, didn't know existed. He realized in that moment that no matter how crazy this all seemed, there was a connection between them like no other, and he could no longer remain quiet. Rick knew what he needed to do. He had to see her before she left, look her in the eyes and verbalized, what he was feeling. He finally managed to buckle his gun belt. He then grabbed his keys and rushed towards the door, at which time it swung open, stopping him in his tracks and in ran his son, who instantly threw his arms around him, telling him how much he missed him, just as Lori came into the room.

* * *

Across town Michonne slowly made her way towards the interstate, glancing in her rearview mirror, hoping she would see him, and then what? She asked herself as wanting and angst hurt her heart, causing tears to sting in her eyes. She'd told him she needed 6 months, but he probably took it to mean there was no future for them considering he hadn't responded to her final text. But that was a lie. Wasn't it? When she was honest with herself what could really happen with her being in Atlanta and him being in Palmer? Him being a small town sheriff and her being a career woman in corporate America? She could end things with Mike and that would be it, but Rick had yet to divorce his wife and once he did there would be the baggage of her and their kid. The tears pressed harder upon her, weakening her stoic resolve, but somehow she managed to force them down. She'd never cried about a relationship, well at least not since she was a freshman in college, and she was not about to cry now. Hell her and Rick didn't even have a relationship. She tried to tell herself, but that lie failed to stick, and for a moment the emotions nearly overwhelmed her, when right on cue, her phone rang. For a split second, she thought it might be Rick, but quickly knew that it wasn't, he wouldn't call. He would text or come, that she knew, after the three days she'd known him. It was Mike, reminding her of reality. Michonne didn't pick up right away. For she needed a second to get herself together, to sound okay. She took one more glance in her rearview mirror and disappointedly found no one there, before she answered the phone, just as she pulled onto Interstate 75.

* * *

Three hours later…

The drive to Atlanta had gone quickly, too quickly it seemed. Michonne had spent a part of the drive home feeling pained over Rick not coming after her, but then she'd realized, how could he? He was a married man, with a family, and she'd told him they should wait six months before pursuing a romance. He was respecting her wishes. She appreciated that about him. Nonetheless, that fact didn't stop the emotion in her heart and the memory of his touch, evoking a tad of regret about not sleeping with him. However, walking away was the right thing to do. She knew. For he was still entangled with his wife, and she with Mike. And honestly, no matter how deeply they felt for one another, it was ridiculous for them to completely upset their lives for passion and an indescribable connection. Or was it? It wasn't. She'd deduced and stopped trying to tell herself otherwise. People spent their whole lives looking for that kind of connection, hoping for it, never to find it. She never thought she'd find it. Not that she was looking for it. She just didn't think it existed and realized long ago that matters of the heart really were just matters of the head with a big part of it being connected to sex. But this was different, Rick was different. Michonne had warmed at the thought of him, her body becoming flushed, again remembering how close they'd come to making love, before they'd stopped. She already missed him but walking away was the right thing to do. If they were meant to be, six months would do nothing to deter what was destined. Now that she was home, pulling into the driveway of the opulent townhouse she shared with Mike, she was happy to be there, yet sad at what she had to accept, what she knew all along, before she even knew Rick Grimes was alive, that her and Mike weren't going to work.

* * *

Michonne walked into the house, rolled her bag to the corner, then slowly made her way up the stairs. Mike had text to say that he was in route home, which meant he'd be there soon. The time it would take him to get there would give her the opportunity to ready herself for the discussion she needed to have with him about their future. Feeling a little clammy from the drive, Michonne took off her clothes and jewelry, pulled her hair up and had a shower. The warm water was soothing and cleared her mind, giving her the focus she'd need to speak with Mike. After finishing her shower, she entered her closet and was just about to slip on some fresh clothes, when she heard her phone. She made her way back to the bedroom, retrieved her phone from the dresser where it lay, turned it over to answer and was stunned to see "Rick Grimes" on its face. Her heart beat heighten, flooding with giddiness, making her eager to answer the call, but she stayed her desire. Slowly inhaling, then exhaling, expelling some of the nerves she felt, Michonne reminded herself to remain logical, realistic, then answered just before it went to voicemail.

 _Hey_. She uttered.

 _Hey_. He quietly replied, his voice deep with emotion, filling her with warmth _. I know that you wanted us to wait…six months before having any contact, but I wanted to make sure you got home okay._

 _I did._

They both became silent, but wanted to say so much. Though Rick was pressed to express what he felt, he'd steadied his emotions from hours before, determined to not overwhelm her, to respect what she wanted. While Michonne wanted to encourage his wooing, but couldn't because she didn't want things to move forward too quickly, specifically before they'd settled the lingering relationships in their lives. Both continued to debate what to say, when to say it, how to say it before they ceased to over think it and spoke at the same time. Each halted what they planned to say and urged the other to continue with Rick finally convincing Michonne to go first.

 _When I said six months, I didn't mean no contact. I just meant we shouldn't pursue anything more than friendship during that time._ She said, her words inciting a blaze of faith and mirth within Rick.

 _So you're okay with me calling, texting, Facebooking you?_ He asked, a smile in his voice.

 _You're on Facebook?_ Michonne questioned with laughter and surprise.

 _I warned you. There are a lot of things about me that'll surprise you._

 _Yes. You did._ She responded softly just as she heard someone call for him in the background.

 _I gotta go._ He then uttered, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

 _I know._

 _We'll talk soon._

 _Soon…hey!_ Michonne quietly asserted before Rick could hang up. _I'm glad you called_. She said, elevating his happiness and hope.

 _I'm glad that you're glad._ He stated in a hushed tone. Michonne beamed within then silently spoke her goodbye, prompting Rick to do the same.

 _Who was that?_ She then suddenly heard from behind as she hung up the phone, startling her. _Mike!_ She exclaimed as she put her phone down. _I didn't know you were here._ She said, suddenly feeling uncomfortable with what she was wearing, which was nothing more than a silk robe covering her nude body.

 _You wouldn't. I just walked in. So who was that on the phone?_ He asked again as he set down his bag, causing her to question within what he'd heard.

 _One of the people I met in Palmer. He wanted to make sure I got home ok._

 _He? And he has your number?_ Mike queried, slightly intrigued.

 _He was a big help while I was stranded there._

 _Really?_ He stated with skepticism. _I can't imagine how helpful anyone could be if that town was as far into Hicksville as you said._

 _The people where okay. The town too._

 _Hmrph._ Mike scoffed. _So how WAS the drive home?_ He then asked. _I'm loving this attire._ He threw in as he walked up to her. _This is exactly what I had in mind_. He said then took her lips, before she could stop him, making her feel guilty and awkward.

 _Mike, we need talk._ She said after quickly ending the kiss before his hands fully settled on her ass.

 _Chonne I just got off a plane. Can't I get a moment to catch my breath, show my fiancé how much I missed her_. He proposed as he gently pulled her to him again then tried to resume their kiss.

 _Mike!_ Michonne stopped him before his lips touched hers.

 _Can't this wait?_ He asked with irritation.

 _No. It can't._ She firmly stated, frustrated herself by his irritation, not wanting to start the conversation they needed to have this way.

 _Ok what is it? What's so urgent?!_ He stepped back and gazed at her with petulant eyes, just as his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Michonne sighed in exasperation at the interruption as Mike answered the phone, his voice rough with irksome, but quickly became calm, then fearful and worried, while Michonne looked on, her exasperation changing to concern, knowing that something terrible had happened.


	7. Complications

**Thanks for reading and responding!**

 **Chapter Seven**

Rick pulled on his trousers, then reached for his uniform shirt that lay on the bed and slipped it on, preparing for another day of training at the Sheriff's Deputy Academy. He'd been in Fitzgerald for nearly three weeks training new deputies on police protocol. Though Ben Hill county was not King county, the areas in which they lived were rural, and thus had limited resources for training. Therefore, several of the local counties would partner with each other to get their new recruits trained. This time around, the training was being held in Fitzgerald instead of King County. Most deputies in Palmer disliked conducting the new recruits training, but Rick enjoyed it. It made him feel like he was doing an additional service to the community by helping others learn how to properly enforce the law and keep citizens safe. It was a great experience. Unfortunately, it had delayed his plans to move along his divorce from Lori. Prior to the 4th of July, she'd convinced him to hold off on proceeding with the divorce, so that Carl's holiday wouldn't be marred by the official dissolution of their family. He'd adhered to her suggestion. However, when she and Carl returned after the holiday, Lori had immediately left for a week. She was in Statesboro, at a teacher's retreat with the school in which she taught. Something he'd not known about. When she'd come back, he'd had to leave for the training in Ben Hill.

Though during that time, he'd managed to visit with his attorney in Macon to review the divorce papers they'd started a while ago, things still seemed to be stalled due to what felt like Lori avoiding a discussion. However, that was going to change when he returned to Palmer. No matter what happened he'd decided he could no longer delay, proceeding with the divorce. Rick buckled his gun belt and instantly recalled Michonne lying beneath him, her soft curves molded perfectly to him, her beautiful dark skin glowing against the white dress she wore, her eyes shining with gentleness in the moonlight. Suddenly he felt an intense flush, at the memory of tasting her lips, the sweetness and heat, how close they'd come to making love. Rick made his way to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on in his face and neck, in an attempt to cool the hotness stirred by the thought of Michonne. His divorce wasn't just about closing a chapter in his life that had been finished many months ago, but exploring what he knew was something special with Michonne.

For the past month, they'd continued to carefully walk that delicate line between friendship and lovers. They talked at least twice a week and text more times than he could count. They'd learned each other's routines - What time they both got up for work. What time they got home, worked out, ate dinner, watched TV. They knew what was going on in each other's lives, from work to family to hanging with friends, the good, the bad, the complicated. She knew all about the delay in moving things forward with Lori, the difficulties he was having with the recruits at training and that Tuesday night was now Pizza night with Carl, per her suggestion when he'd bounced some ideas with her about more things he could do with his son. He knew about her delay in ending things with Mike, due to the unexpected circumstances that had come up and the changes she'd been dealing with at work, some reorganization, but thankfully her department and job wasn't affected, a house warming party she'd attended with friends, which she'd originally planned to skip, not feeling up to it with all that was going on, but he'd convinced her to go. She'd had fun and thanked him profusely afterward, for pushing her to attend. They still flirted, more times than they should, their exchanges teetering with temptation, but they'd kept it tamed. In the four weeks since they'd met, they'd become true friends, which made Rick excited for more but extremely happy with where they were. Cooler than he'd been moments earlier, Rick emerged from the bathroom, his mind heavily on Michonne with a deep desire to connect with her. He checked his watch. It was still pretty early, but he decided to take a chance and reached out.

 _~Good Morning…Thinking about you… ~_

He started to type more then hesitated, unsure if he should say what he wanted, but decided to continue…

 _~Missing you. ~_

Rick nervously waited for her response, wondering if he'd been a little too honest when his phone dinged.

 _~Morning…~_

 _~Me too...~_

She texted back, making his heart full.

 _~Shouldn't you be asleep? ~_

 _~I wish. I have an early training session this morning with the recruits…~_

 _~How are things there? Did you make it to Philly ok? ~_

 _~I did…I'm going to rest a little longer, then head to the hospital. ~_

 _~I'm sorry…Go back to sleep then. ~_

 _~Don't apologize. You're fine. ~_

 _~Ah finally she admits it. :)~_

 _~:/ (smirk)~_

 _~Seriously I just wanted to…connect…just for a minute...Get some rest…then have good day. ~_

 _~You too~_

The joy lingered strong within him, brightening his day, making him feel at ease about the tasks ahead. Rick took another glance at himself in the mirror and ran his hand through his curls, straightened his tie and badge, picked up his keys and just as he made his way toward the door his phone rang. He looked at the face of the phone and saw Lori's name. Concerned, he immediately answered and right away was struck by her voice, frantic and upset, fearfully screaming that Carl was gone.

* * *

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

She didn't want to be there, not like this, not as his lover and fiancé, not perpetuating a truth that was now a lie, but Mike didn't know what she'd realized, that she'd made a mistake when accepting his proposal, and decided, that their relationship was over. For as soon as he received the call from his family informing him of his father's car accident, he'd caught the first flight back to Philadelphia, and as a result they'd not had a chance to talk. He'd been there for the past month keeping a bedside visual with his mother and siblings, praying that his father would get well enough to move out of the ICU. Michonne had supported him from afar, due to work obligations which required she be in Atlanta. Mike had understood, and thus they'd kept in touch by frequent phone calls, texts and sometimes FaceTime, until a couple of days ago when he'd asked her to join him in Philly because his father's condition had worsened. Michonne hadn't hesitated to come. In spite of her decision, she cared about Mike and wanted to support him as much as possible during such a difficult time. So she'd closed out what she could at the office, but still brought her laptop so that she could do a little work when she had the time, and took the red eye from Atlanta to Philadelphia the previous night. She'd picked up a rental car when she arrived and crashed at a hotel until that morning. Then she'd gone straight to the hospital and had spent nearly two hours with Mike, who'd expressed the huge comfort he felt at having her by his side, before he'd again joined his mother in his father's room.

The waiting room was empty. Mike's siblings had left the hospital to get something to eat and freshen up and there were no other families doing the agonizing wait in the area. Michonne was alone, waiting for Mike to finish another visit with his father as she mindlessly flipped through a magazine in which she'd failed to notice the title. She felt sadden for him and his family, and anxious about what she needed to tell him. She wanted to support him and was glad that her being there was helping. Nevertheless, he needed to know the truth, but it couldn't be now. To break things off during this time would be extremely hurtful and selfish. Thus she would remain mum. She'd see him through this, then tell him the truth when he was no longer dealing with this family crisis. It was a difficult plan, but thankfully much less complicated with their engagement not known, and there having been no time for intimacy due to their separation for all this time. Although with her now being in Philly, the latter was bound to come up, which was something she had no idea how she was going to handle when it inevitably happened. Michonne closed her eyes at the stress of the situation, yet strangely comforted by her brief correspondence with Rick earlier that morning. It was hard to believe they'd only known each other for a few weeks because somehow it felt like a lifetime. Though they were keeping the amorous at bay, the friendship they were nurturing had become deeper. They'd shared more about who they were, their families, their friends, their triumphs and struggles. Michonne found that not only did she miss Rick when they didn't text or talk for a few hours or a day, but that she instinctively wanted to reach out to him when something good happened, she was having a tough time or just wanted to shoot the shit about nothing. Michonne softly smiled, recalling some of their recent conversations. She was particularly amused by their debate around the entertainment value of "X-men: Apocalypse." He thought it was great. She thought it was horrible. Even though he was hundreds of miles away and "just a friend" he was becoming entwined in her life in a way that was endearing, yet scary.

 _Michonne_. She heard, the assertion interrupting her thoughts.

 _Mrs. Thompson!_ She exclaimed, then put down the magazine she was holding and moved to stand.

 _No. Sit._ The woman directed, and she obeyed.

 _Is Mike still …_

 _Yes. He's still in with his father._ The woman answered as she closed her eyes in sadness.

 _How are you?_ Michonne then asked. _Do you need me to get you anything? Coffee? Soda? Something to eat?_

 _No honey, I'm fine. I just, needed to step outside of it for a minute._ The woman sighed as she sat down next to Michonne. _He has to come back to me_. She then tremulously stated, almost inaudibly, breaking Michonne's heart, leading her to gently grasp the woman's hand and squeeze it.

 _So!_ Mrs. Thompson asserted, after being silent for several minutes and taking a deep breath. _How are things with you and my son?_

Michonne was somewhat taken aback at what seemed like an odd question in that moment, but deduced that the woman was likely trying to keep her mind off the situation at hand. _We're good._ Was the only way Michonne could answer, considering her plans to end the relationship.

 _Oh honey you don't have to lie to me._ The woman countered with an anemic smile. _I know that this situation has put a strain on your relationship..._

 _Mrs. Thompson…_

 _And delayed your wedding plans._ She spoke over Michonne, shocking her. _But I can help with that…_

 _How do you know about our engagement?_ Michonne calmly asked while skillfully hiding her alarm.

 _Mike told the family over the 4_ _th_ _of July weekend. He knew you wanted to tell us together, but he_ _couldn't wait.…Congratulations_. The woman said as she took her in an awkward hug, unknowingly giving Michonne a moment to manage her disbelief. _John was so happy to hear the news._ _We both were._ Mrs. Thompson continued. _And, we decided right then that we'd like to be a part of the planning._

 _Mrs. Thompson, I can't think about a wedding right now._ Michonne tried to dissuade the woman.

 _Oh nonsense._ She rejected. _Just because we're dealing with this…crisis doesn't mean your wedding plans have to be put on hold. Now I hope I'm not stepping out of line, but I've already obtained a woman who can consultant on the ceremony. She's done some fabulous spring weddings and will do the same for yours…_

 _Spring?_

 _Yes._ The woman answered, oblivious to Michonne's aghast expression. _Mike told us you're leaning towards an early spring wedding. Now I haven't talked to her since the weekend of the 4_ _th_ _, she came to our grilling party but I'm sure she's still onboard to help…_ She continued on a tangent, completely focused and distracting herself with the wedding, leaving Michonne with no choice but to indulge the woman's much needed reprieve, while she contemplated the implication of her now public engagement, that could drive her to do the unthinkable.

* * *

It had been an exhausting day. After Lori told Rick that Carl was missing, he'd spent nearly 15 minutes trying to get her to calm down and detail to him exactly what had caused her to reach that conclusion. She'd told him she'd gone to Carl's room to wake him for breakfast and discovered his bed to be unfolded, but not slept in. His favorite back pack, t-shirt and shorts were gone, and upon inspecting the rest of the house she'd found that snacks and drinks were missing from the cupboard. _The only thing it could be is that he's run away!_ She'd worriedly exclaimed. Rick had then asked her had she called the police. She'd replied that she hadn't that she'd called him first. He'd then told her to take a breath and head to Jacqui's, a neighbor's house. He wanted her to be with someone, otherwise she'd go crazy, waiting there alone. Once she was with Jacqui, he'd instructed them to call the police and return to the house to wait for their arrival. As soon as Rick hung up with Lori, he'd called Shane and told him what was going on. Right away, his friend had volunteered to go to the house to meet the other sheriff's deputies and support Lori. From there Rick had informed the Sheriff's Academy that he had a family emergency and had to return home, then immediately got on the phone, calling the parents of Carl's friends. He'd spent the nearly two-hour drive home on the phone with parents and his colleagues, to no avail. He'd discovered no viable leads on Carl's whereabouts. By the time he arrived back in Palmer the search was in full swing. He'd joined a group of searchers on the west side of town who were already scouring a large patch of woods close to the middle school.

* * *

The woods were a dreaded task, because of the denseness, deadly snakes and other critters that could be dangerous to anyone, but especially a young boy. They'd combed the land, starting with the area closest to the school then worked their way out. They'd come across a few abandoned houses and barns, but still nothing had turned up. Rick had done everything in his power to remain strong and hopeful, but with every passing moment his concern became heavier, making it difficult for him to focus in the humidity, heat and brutality of the Georgia wild. Time seemed to go on and on, quickly and impatient, bringing them one false lead after another, until finally something was spotted. One of the searchers found Carl's backpack at the top of a hill, about 5 miles from the closest business or resident. The searcher had explored further, making his way over the hill to discovered who they'd been so desperately looking for all that time. When the word came, Rick had been relieved. However, when he'd conquered the peak in the land, on his way to where they'd found him, he'd been shaken with a fury of fear and grieve, at the sight of his son, unconscious near a stream, with one of the sheriff's deputies, a colleague, administering to him CPR.

* * *

Two Hours Later

 _You were great today._ Lori said as she slipped her hand over Rick's, while she, he and Shane waited in the hospital lobby for the doctor to finish up with Carl. Though he'd awaken in the ambulance, the doctors needed to do a thorough examination - bloodwork and a few tests to make sure he'd not suffered a serious injury.

 _He's my son._ Rick replied as he moved his hand away from hers, failing to notice Shane's dark and envious stare. I'll do whatever it takes to save him.

 _I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about how you took care of me._ Lori quietly countered, then gently touched his knee, making him uncomfortable.

 _You all want something to drink? I'm gone make a vending machine run._ Shane interjected his tone edged with agitation.

 _No._ Rick stated, then stood, mystified and irritated by Lori's gestures. He walked to the nearby window, his back to her and Shane and listened as she answered their friend, telling him she didn't want anything.

 _What do you think set him off? Caused him to do this?_ Rick questioned aloud, turning to face Lori after Shane walked away following a long hesitation.

 _What are you talking about?_ Lori questioned in bewilderment.

 _What do you think caused Carl to run away?_ He clarified.

 _What do you think Rick? Us._ Lori retorted as she stood. _He wants us to be like we were. He wants us to be a family, that's why he's acting out this way._

 _I get that. But why would he do this now? We've been separated for months, and I've been in Fitzgerald for almost three weeks. Did something happen last night after I spoke with him?_

Rick hadn't received a response due to the doctor emerging from Carl's room. He and Lori immediately dropped their discussion and greeted the doctor. After which, she'd given them the good news, that Carl was fine. He had a sprained ankle and a mild concussion. Consequently, they planned to keep him overnight for observation. Following their discussion with the doctor they'd gone in to see Carl. Rick couldn't help but notice how his son smiled more than he had in weeks, when him and Lori walked in the room.

 _Hey Little Man. You gave us quite a scare._ Rick said as he walked up to the bed and stood at its side, relieved to see with his own eyes that Carl was okay.

 _I'm not a little man_. Carl playfully rebuffed the nickname his father had called him as long as he could remember. Rick smiled as Lori sat on the bed and kissed him on the cheek, causing Carl to sighed with exasperation. Lori had then asked how he was feeling to which he'd responded that he felt a little tired, achy and wanting ice cream. His reply had opened up a discussion about ice cream and Tylenol. Rick and Lori had agreed to talk to the doctor about some acetaminophen to help with his pain and no ice cream unless he'd had some real food.

 _Still tough as nails after your little adventure?_ They heard and looked towards the door to see that it was Shane walking into the room. Carl's mood instantly changed from the lightheartedness of the moments before to somberness and quiet. He'd completely shut down, barely responding to Shane, prompting Rick to question his flat response, when Lori had interjected stating that Carl had a long day and was just tired. Rick didn't really buy that excuse and was about to question it, but the nurse came in. She'd informed them that visiting hours were over. However, he and Lori were welcome to stay. They could share the sofa bed in the room.

 _You stay_. Rick told Lori. _I'll sleep in the waiting room._

 _Can't you both stay?_ Carl looked to Lori whose expression indicated her support of the suggestion, before he turned his attention to Shane who was struggling to mask what appeared to be discontent, then returned skeptical eyes to his son. _Please._ Carl begged.

 _The sofa should be fine. Its plenty big enough for both of us._ Lori finally spoke, usurping his planned reply.

Rick gave her a look that bordered on frustration, but she ignored him, suddenly remembering something she needed to retrieve from her purse. Rick didn't think them sleeping in the same bed in front of their son was a good idea considering where their marriage stood, and why they were at the hospital in the first place. Such a choice, would only encourage Carl's behavior, make him believe that what he did worked to bring them back together. But arguing with Lori over this right now wasn't wise, for many reasons, the main one being Carl's health. The doctor had told them that Carl's brain needed rest to recover from the concussion which meant no stimuli of any kind, most especially not his parents arguing over sleeping arrangements. Rick had reluctantly agreed to sleep in the room, to Carl's elation and Shane's irritation. The man had then announced his departure, with Carl giving him a muffled goodbye and Lori thanking him for all his help while barely looking his way.

* * *

Rick walked Shane out, stopping in the hall to shake his friend's hand, thank him for helping with Lori and the search then asking him if he was alright. _You seem upset._ Rick had pointed out. _I'm fine._ Shane had replied. _Just tired._ But Rick didn't quite believe his response. Something was going on between him, Lori and Carl and whatever it was, he was certain it was related to the events of the day. Letting it go, for now, Rick wished Shane a good night and suspiciously watched him go. Closing his eyes and releasing a breath Rick attempted to banish the tension he still felt from all that had happened, when his mind went to Michonne.

He hadn't heard from her since that morning, which was unusual, they were normally in contact several times a day. He hoped that she was okay and that her day was going better than his. Rick walked further down the hall while briefly debating whether to call, but ultimately decided to text since she was likely still with Mike and his family.

 _~ Hey. Checking in to see how your day went. I hope better than mine. ~_

He waited for her to reply, but had to cut his wait short when a nurse happened by and informed him that he couldn't hang out in the halls now that visiting hours were over. She also reminded him of the hospital cellphone policy that phones should be shut off while in the patient wings. Disappointed that he'd not yet received a response and concerned that she'd been so quiet, Rick had hesitated a little longer, hoping to at least see a read receipt on his message indicating that she'd viewed his text, but he saw nothing.

 _~I'm out for the night. Sleep well. ~_

He then added to his previous text. Waited a few moments more, but when he'd still received no response, he'd reluctantly turned off his phone and returned to Carl's room.


	8. Confessions

**Thanks to everyone for reading and posting your thoughts! The responses really inspire the writing process.**

 **Chapter Eight**

Michonne followed Mike into his parent's home, through the grand foyer, then into the immense great room. She hadn't much to say while driving she and Mike to the house, for her mind was heavily on the wedding she'd been discussing hours before with his mother. At first she was shocked that he'd told his family about their engagement against her wishes, but when she really thought about it, she realized that she shouldn't have been surprised. For Mike had been eager to tell his family the minute he'd slipped that ring on her finger.

 _"Mike, we need to talk."_ Michonne seriously stated as he tossed his house keys on the bar, moved to pour himself a drink, but instead turned to face her, then stunned her with his response.

 _"You know I told my family about our engagement."_ He deduced and continued before she could respond. " _I'm sorry I told them, but I was so excited that I couldn't wait. And I'm glad I did because if I hadn't…with what's happened to my father_ …" He stopped when emotion choked his voice. " _I'm glad that I told him."_ He resumed, looking her in the eyes, unwittingly stirring up guilt within, making her reconsider what she planned to say. " _And I'm glad you came."_ He said, walking up to her then taking her in his arms. Michonne allowed him to hold her close, to kiss the top of her head, to get the comfort he needed from her, while she mounted the courage to do one of the most difficult things she'd ever have to do in her life. Mike ended the hug then moved to kiss her on the lips but she pulled back, not wanting to encourage him further. "Chonne _what's wrong?"_ He asked with bewilderment etched with frustration. " _You mad about me telling my family?"_

 _"No."_ She said. " _Let's sit down."_

 _"Why?"_ Mike questioned with irritation.

 _"Mike please."_ Michonne firmly implored. He slowly did as she asked and had a seat, with Michonne joining him on the couch. For a brief moment she looked down, feeling nervous and contrite, sadly telling herself she needed to do this, while Mike waited impatiently for her to speak.

 _"We've been together for a long time."_ She began after returning her eyes to his. " _We've had a good relationship, so when you asked me to marry you, I said yes because I thought it was only logical…"_

 _"You thought?"_ Mike interjected with alarm.

 _"Let me finish."_ Michonne gently demanded and he complied.

 _"I said yes."_ She resumed. " _Because I thought it was only logical, considering how much we cared about each other and the life we already shared…but that was a mistake."_ She said, her heart hurting at the confusion in his eyes.

 _"What do you mean it was a mistake?"_ He questioned, woe in his tone.

 _"It was a mistake for me to accept your proposal."_ She clarified. " _Mike_ _I can't marry you."_

 _"But you said yes. You promised to be my wife."_ He countered with angst and incredulity.

 _"I know what I promised."_

 _"Well then why are you telling me this?"_

 _"Because it's the truth."_

 _"The truth?"_ Mike retorted as he stood from the couch, putting some distance between them, his emotions now a mix of agony and anger. " _Was it the truth when you accepted my proposal, my ring and made love to me like I was the man you wanted to spend the rest of your life with?"_

 _"I thought it was the truth in that moment."_ Michonne tried to clarify.

 _"That doesn't make sense to me."_ He said, turning to face her.

 _"It didn't make sense to either in the beginning, but as time went on…."_

 _"You're overwhelmed with work."_ Mike interrupted. _"And what's happening_ _here with my father, you're just feeling a little col..."_

 _"Mike it's not cold feet."_ She strongly interjected as she stood.

 _"Then what is it?!"_ He exclaimed with exasperation _. "Is it your mother? Did she finally convince you that I'm not rich enough for you? Did you meet someone else?"_

 _"No!"_ Michonne asserted, looking him in the eyes even as Rick Grimes burned in her heart. " _No! It's neither of those things. I've been feeling this way for a while. I thought I could move past it, but I can't."_

 _"This isn't just about ending our engagement is it?"_ He then declared with painful realization. " _You want to break up?"_

Michonne briefly closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. " _Yes."_ She sighed.

 _"Why?"_ He questioned, his voice uneven with agony. " _And don't tell me you don't know. You know why you don't want to be with me, now just tell me."_

 _"Mike…"_

 _"Tell me!"_ He demanded _. "I deserve to know why."_ Michonne debated with herself as to whether she should say more. She'd already done so much damage, to tell him what was truly in her heart would be devastating.

 _"It's someone else isn't it? That's the only thing that makes sense."_ Mike concluded when she failed to answer.

 _"Mike…"_

 _"Was he who you went to see in Florida?"_ He talked over her. " _The mysterious man you were on the phone with when I got home after the 4_ _th_ _?"_

 _"Mike stop…"_

 _"Were you fucking him all this time?!"_

 _"I wasn't fucking anybody!"_ Michonne exclaimed with fury. _"I would never do that and you know it."_ She contended, sparking the memory of her nearly making love to Rick.

 _"I don't know anything!"_ Mike argued. " _All I know is you're telling me you want to end our four-year relationship because of what? You won't tell me. What else am I to conclude but that it's another man!"_

 _"It's not another man."_ She stated more calmly and with resolve, accepting that she had to tell him the truth _. "I don't_ ... _I don't feel the way I need to, the way you deserve."_ She sadly confessed, looking him in the eyes.

 _"What are you saying? You don't love me?"_

 _"No. I do."_ She admitted. " _But not like a woman should love her fiancé, her future husband."_

 _"That's bullshit."_ He bitterly exclaimed. " _Two weeks ago you were happy. A month ago you were happy. Six months ago you were happy, now you suddenly want to end our relationship of FOUR years! This doesn't make sense…."_

 _"It doesn't make sense to you, but it does to me."_ Michonne countered. " _Mike, I have been struggling with this for months. Things would be okay for a while, but deep down I knew this wasn't what I wanted…that I wasn't really happy."_

 _"Why didn't you tell me what you were feeling?"_ He replied with near despair.

 _"What could you have done?"_ She emotionally asserted. " _This wasn't about you... You are a good man."_ She stated with truth. _"It was about me realizing something about myself. I tried to ignore it, hoping it would change but it didn't._ She said, her heart brimming with guilt at the devastation on Mike's face."

 _"You really want to_ do this _? To walk away from_ …." He began, then stopped in grief.

Michonne nodded. Then morosely added. _"It doesn't make sense for me to stay…I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you."_ She uttered. There was a long awkward silence. She could see the emotions swirling within him, his struggle to process all that had been said. " _I_ _should go."_ She then cautiously stated, hating to leave him in that state, wanting to ask him if he was going to be okay, but knowing that he wasn't and wouldn't be at least not for a while.

Mike didn't say a word. He stood now looking at nothing, his back to her, his head down. She could see that he was wounded, fighting to stay strong in front of her, but would soon lose the battle. Michonne wanted to say more, to comfort him in some way, but knew that she couldn't, and instead grabbed her purse from the couch and left.

* * *

The next morning

The airport was surprisingly bustling with people, already about their day, in route to their next destination. Michonne waited at her gate, feeling tired, physically and mentally, exhausted from the events of the night before. She was still thinking about Mike, hoping he was okay, her heart aching at the pain she'd seen in his eyes. After she'd returned to her hotel, she was so overwhelmed with emotion that she'd cried. She didn't know for how long, but she'd gotten little sleep and felt overwhelmed with guilt and concern over Mike. She'd wanted to catch the last flight home, but upon trying to get herself together, she'd missed the red eye back to Atlanta.

However, she had managed to book the first flight that morning, which would start boarding within the hour. Michonne stifled a yawn and took an Aleve to stay the headache that was threatening to start. Her thoughts then drifted to home, how she didn't have one at the moment. Her things were still at the townhouse she shared with Mike, which was in his name, and meant that she would need to move immediately. For all her preparation to break her engagement, she'd not had an opportunity to prepare to move out. Maybe she could crash with Angela or Sasha, both friends had plenty of space, but Sasha was married with children, and neither knew about the turn her life had taken.

Michonne rubbed her eyes then turned on her phone which had been off since she'd been at the hospital the previous day. She watched it power up and immediately saw various notifications pop up, missed calls, voicemails and texts, the most notable being the latter from Rick. Her heart felt full at the thought of him, regretting missing their routine texts due to all the drama she had going on. She then read his message first and felt comfort in knowing that he was thinking about her, yet guilt at the fact that Rick was in part the catalyst that led to her ending things with Mike.

She stared at the message wanting to text him back, to tell him every detail of her difficult day. She wanted to hear of the challenges he'd faced with his recruits, but it was still so early, well before dawn. She didn't know if he was awake. Furthermore, she didn't know if she was yet in the right mind to talk, even by text, but when her phone suddenly lit up and Rick's name popped up on its face, she took a deep breath and picked up.

 _"Hey."_ She whispered.

 _"Hey."_ Rick uttered, his voice, melting her inside. _"Did I wake you?"_ He asked.

 _"No. I'm at the airport."_ She tiredly replied.

 _"You flying back to Atlanta?"_ Rick questioned with concern.

 _"Yeah... It's for the best."_ She responded in a low tone.

 _"What happened?"_ He softly inquired.

 _"It's Mike…"_

 _"His father…"_

 _"No…"_ She interrupted Rick's assumption. " _He's the same. But last night, I broke up with Mike."_

Rick was shocked and relieved that the obstacle of her engagement was out of the way, but empathetic to the anguish and guilt he knew she was feeling about what she'd done.

 _"How did it go?"_

 _"Not good."_

 _"I'm sorry. I know how difficult that had to be."_

 _"I spent a month mentally preparing myself to tell him_. She somberly declared. _But when I did it, it was as if I wasn't prepared at all."_

 _"The same thing happened with me when things ended with Lori."_ Rick revealed. " _Even though it was a long time coming, when I said the words, it made it real. My emotions were so raw after…."_

 _"Same here."_ Michonne admitted. " _I knew that we couldn't go on, that I didn't want to, but still, we spent four years together, you know?"_

 _"I do. It's tough right now, but it'll get easier."_ Rick quietly stated, completely understanding the complexity of her wanting the relationship to be done, yet struggling with its demise and the person she'd hurt in the process.

 _"I know."_ She sighed. " _I just worry about him dealing with what's happened, along with what's going on with his father…he's hurting a lot right now and a big part of that is because of me."_

 _"Hey. Don't go there."_ He urged with compassion. _"You can't blame yourself for telling him the truth._ _He's in pain, but in the long run he'll be better for it."_

 _"You're right."_ She acknowledged, taking his words in, finding them impartial and supportive, comforting her more than he'd ever know.

 _"I can be sometimes."_ Rick threw in, igniting a glimmer of mirth within her.

 _"Just sometimes huh?"_ She quipped back.

 _"Ok. I'll admit, all the time."_ He mildly joked.

 _"Hmm huh."_ She said with a small laugh, which contented Rick's heart. " _What about you?"_ She then queried. " _Your day any better than mine?"_ She said, thinking of the text he'd sent her the previous night.

 _"Not by much."_ He replied, then went on to tell her about Carl running away, to her complete shock. Rick had confessed what he'd not expressed to others – the fear it stirred, the confusion, the guilt and anger he felt about Carl doing this, and ultimately his relief when he was found to be okay. Michonne had been completely engaged, sympathetic while fully supporting his disclosure about what had happened. Rick wasn't usually that verbal, especially when he was troubled about something, but the gentleness and understanding of Michonne easily compelled him to open up.

 _"You said that Carl is safe, but are you okay?"_ Michonne asked with care, after Rick finished detailing the harrowing ordeal.

 _"Yeah. I am."_ He assured. I am concerned about Carl though. " _I'm certain part of the reason why he did this was because he wants me and his mother to stay together. But that's not gonna to happen…I don't know how I can get him to accept that."_

 _"A part of him will always want you and Lori together, but with time he'll accept…your separation."_ Michonne reassured.

 _"I hope so."_ He said, encouraged by her thought. " _Wow, look at us, being Debbie Downers this early in the morning."_ He then spoke in jest.

 _"It happens. It's life."_ Michonne lightly replied and seriously added… " _Thank you for listening."_

 _"Anytime."_ He said, his voice gentle and sincere, filling her with tenderness and peace, when she heard the boarding call for her flight.

 _"They're calling my flight."_ She reluctantly declared, not yet ready to hang up.

 _"Alright_." Rick replied with hesitance, feeling the same as Michonne, before he'd thanked her for giving him her ear, wished her a safe trip, and they'd ended their call.

* * *

Rick hung up the phone and stared at it for a moment, now irrationally missing Michonne, wanting so much to see her, to talk to her for a moment longer, then turned his eyes out the window, just as his phone alerted him to a communication.

 _~Thanks for being you ~_

 _~That's all I know how to be. ~_ He responded.

 _~I'll text you when I land. ~_

 _~I can't wait. ~_

He text back, feeling giddy with delight when she replied with a smiling emoji.

 _"There you are."_ He then heard from behind prompting him to put away his phone and turn around. _I've been looking all over for you._

 _"Is Carl alright?"_ He asked his soon to be ex-wife.

 _"He's fine. He's still asleep, but when I woke up and didn't see you there…I got worried you'd left."_ She said as she walked up to him and invaded his person space, making him feel uncomfortable.

 _"What are you doing?"_ He questioned, after stepping back and putting some distance between them.

 _"What do you mean?"_ She innocently asked.

 _"The looks, the touches, the quiet insistence that we sleep in the same bed, now this, you walking up on me like we're still together. Why are you doing this?"_ Lori didn't answer for a while, appearing to Rick as if she was trying to organize her thoughts.

 _"Over the holiday I had more time to think."_ She said when she finally spoke. " _I realized that I love you, and I want us to work. I want to save our marriage."_ She confessed.

 _"Now?_ _After months of nothing?"_ Rick skeptically questioned, thinking how when he'd wanted to make things work more than a year ago for their son, she was not interested.

 _"Not nothing. I remember not too long ago we were still acting like a married couple."_

 _"That was mistake, fueled by alcohol and you know it."_ He refuted the regrettable encounter that had occurred a couple of months before.

 _"It doesn't matter."_ She countered with a hint of impatience. " _I want to make this work. I want to give us another chance."_

 _"Lori, this isn't just your decision to make. I have a say in this too, and I don't want this marriage anymore."_

 _"Is it because of her?"_ She questioned, irritation mounting in her voice, perplexing Rick. " _Don't give me that look. I read your text messages."_

 _"What?! You went through my phone?!"_ Rick exclaimed in anger and shock, remembering how his phone was turned up when he'd woken early in the night and moved to the waiting area to sleep. At the time, he could've sworn he'd left it turned down, but eventually blew off the thought.

 _"Dam right I did."_ Lori unrepentantly admitted.

 _"What the hell were you thinking? You had no right!"_

 _"I had every right, I am still your wife!"_ She exploded _._

 _"In name only. You had no business going through my phone!"_

 _"I heard about that…woman you were parading around town during the 4_ _th_ _of July weekend. I wanted to see if there was any merit to what I'd heard. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"_

 _"I don't care if you found out! We're separated. This marriage is over. And frankly what I do and with who is none of your dam business."_ Rick contended with ire.

 _"It is my business if affects our son!"_

 _"You want to talk about what affects our son? Why don't you tell me what you were doing with Shane to cause our son to get so upset that he ran away?"_

 _'What?! That's absurd!"_ Lori retorted, her ill temper instantly deflating into nervous distress.

 _"Really? You think I didn't see the looks and strain between you and Shane? The way Carl responded to him when he turned up in his room?"_ Rick countered. " _I know something happened to make him run away."_ He said as Lori shook her head in denial. " _What happened Lori?"_ He pushed _. "Did he catch you and Shane kissing? Did he catch you two in bed?"_

 _"That's disgusting. I would never be with Shane. He's your friend."_ She defensively rejected.

 _"Well then what happened?"_ He challenged again, but she refused to speak, crossing her arms across her chest, her eyes revealing that there was something she didn't want to reveal. " _You know what, I don't want to know_ _, but whatever it was, keep our son…."_

 _"Shane came on to me."_ She suddenly asserted. " _That's why Carl ran away. He probably saw it."_ She said. " _And thought something was between us."_

 _"What did he see?_ … _What did he see Lori?"_ Rick repeated when she remained silent, dropping her eyes.

 _"A kiss_." She cautiously divulged, causing Rick to scoffed in disbelief that Shane would make such a move, but the news certainly explained what seemed to be the man's increased interested in everything Lori these past few weeks _. "Rick it was a mistake."_ Lori tried to explain. _"It meant nothing to me."_ She said walking up to him _._

 _"I don't care."_ He stated with indifference.

 _"But I want to make things work with you. I don't care about Shane or that woman you were running around town with. I care about you. I want you."_

 _"That's not possible_." He said, looking her in the eyes. " _I'm moving out of the garage apartment, and filing for divorce by the end of the week."_

 _"You can't do this."_ Lori cried.

 _"I am, and I will."_ Rick said then moved to go around her.

 _"I won't make this easy for you."_ She threatened. " _I won't allow you to do this to our family!"_ She tearfully yelled.

 _"And I won't allow you to do this to our son_." He fiercely vowed, then walked away.


	9. Confrontations

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding! I appreciate the support! Also, special thanks to those who read my Legacy fics back in the day and are back to enjoy my attempt at exploring TWD world.**

 **Chapter Nine**

Michonne returned to the inside of the townhouse, making her way to the kitchen just as her cell phone stopped ringing. She rushed over to the counter and picked it up in time enough to see Rick's name disappear from the screen. The routine continues she contently mused, as she put the phone down then taped the last box she'd packed, thinking how over the past three weeks their calls had become more frequent and thus expected. Michonne finished sealing the box then headed for the stairs while she dialed Rick back...

 _"Hey!"_ He answered _._

 _"Hey!" Did you just call?_ She asked, while mounting the next set of steps, taking her to the third level of the townhouse.

 _"Yeah." What're you doing?_ He curiously questioned, lightness in his voice. " _You sound a little winded."_

 _"I just ran up two flights of stairs."_ She answered when she reached the top step.

 _"You trying a new workout routine?"_

 _"No. I'm prepping for the movers who'll be here any minute."_

 _"Oh, well then I'll let you go…"_

 _"No. Don't go."_ Michonne interjected, stopping short of the master bedroom door.

 _"You want me to stay?"_ Rick softly replied, causing her to flush within.

 _"Yes. Just for a minute."_ She uttered, matching his soft tone.

 _"Only a minute?_ _Because I can do longer if you want."_

 _"I'm sure you can."_ She quietly declared, inflaming Rick's heart. " _But a minute will do for now."_

 _"Whatever you want."_ He huskily stated, heating Michonne more.

 _"What're you up to?"_ She asked, abruptly changing the subject, trying to turn their conversation away from the seductive to the innocent.

 _"I'm on my way to pick up Carl."_

 _"You spending the day together?"_

 _"Yeah. I decided to do our outing today, rather than Sunday."_ He explained. " _I'm taking him to Rigby's Entertainment Complex in Warner Robbins."_

 _"That'll be fun. Several of my colleagues have taken their families there and had a great time."_

 _"I'm hoping it'll get his mind off everything that's been going on."_ He said, thinking how Lori was trying to stall the divorce by demanding that he attend counseling with her and Carl; otherwise she would make the divorce as difficult as possible. Rick was still deciding if he would go. He did agree. Carl likely needed some outside help dealing with all that had transpired, but he didn't want to send any messages to Lori and especially not Carl, that might give off the false belief that he thought the marriage could be saved.

 _"I'm betting he'll have a blast."_ Michonne guessed aloud.

 _"I'm counting on it."_

 _"You nervous about the outing? This'll be the first time since you've moved out that you and he'll have some quality time together."_ She said, recalling all he'd told her about the divorce and thus his time with Carl.

 _"I am, nervous…. He hasn't had much to say since I told him about the divorce and moved out."_ Rick stated. Carl had taken the news in stride, but since, though happy to see him when they had visits, he was more reserved than usual. Furthermore, they really hadn't much time to talk about it due to school starting back, and what time they did have together was spent going over homework and running him to after school activities.

 _"He's still upset about you moving out, the divorce?"_

 _"It's hard to tell, but I'm sure he is. At least he's not blaming Lori anymore, for all that's happened. Still I feel sadness from him."_ Rick sighed. " _Which will be there for a while…How's the move going?"_ He then moved the conversation back to her after Michonne concurred with his latter statement.

 _"Like I said, the movers will be here any minute to pick up my clothes and a couples of pieces of furniture."_ She replied. Her crazy work schedule over the past few weeks, specifically the unexpected travel she'd had to do, delayed her move for three weeks. _"Angela is here helping me pack up the stuff I'm gone drive over in the car."_

 _"She still okay with you crashing with her for a few weeks."_ He asked, remembering Michonne saying that her friend was acting a little reluctant about her staying with her, at first, but had eventually warmed to the idea.

 _"Yeah. Reggie is supposed to be going out of town for a few weeks for training."_ Michonne revealed _. "I think she's looking forward to having me for company."_

 _"Any plans after you finish up the move?"_

 _"Nothing but relax. Angela is going out with Reggie and all my other friends are busy. So I'm on my own for the night."_

 _"Well then go to the movies with me?"_

 _"What? How?_... " She asked, completely mystified by his suggestion.

 _"Skype_." He answered, a smile in his voice.

 _"Ah, now that's an interesting idea."_ She responded with mirth.

 _"Interesting enough for you to say yes?"_

 _"I don't know. How would that even work?"_ She posed. She'd used Skype for work i.e. interoffice messaging, calls and presentations, but nothing like what he was suggesting.

 _"Easy. We Skype each other, turn on the movie, press play at the same time and watch. You have Netflix right?"_

 _"I do."_

 _"Well then we're all set."_

Michonne laughed at how he always seemed to surprise her with the unexpected. " _You've obviously done this before."_ She then said.

 _"A few times with Carl."_ He confirmed, thinking how they'd watched The Flash, many times using Skype, when he was out of town doing deputy training. " _What do you say?"_ He asked again.

 _"It sounds like a date."_ She skeptically countered.

 _"Do you want it to be?"_

Happiness swelled inside, urging Michonne to tell him 'yes,' but logic stopped her from responding with emotion. She'd just broken up with Mike, and though Rick had filed for divorce, he was still having issues with his wife. She'd said they needed to wait six months before they could pursue a romance, which was a very wise decision considering all that was happening in their lives. Thus she'd instead uttered. " _I'll tell you after."_

 _"Does that mean we're doing this?"_ He said, his tone implying so much more than friendship.

 _"I guess so."_ She nervously replied.

 _"What time should I pick you up?"_ He joked, inciting wild laughter from both him and Michonne.

 _"I'll meet you on Skype at 8:00."_ She stated when her hilarity finally calmed.

 _"See you then_." He said, his joviality still apparent.

 _"See you then_." She quietly replied.

* * *

The mood had been tense. From the moment Rick had picked up Carl at the house to the arrival at Rigby's Entertainment Complex, the boy had few words to say. The drive to Warner Robbins had been unusually quiet with Carl only giving one word answers to Rick's attempt at conversation, until he'd finally asked where they were going after they got 20 minutes into the drive and hadn't stopped at any familiar places. When Rick told him they were going to Rigby's Entertainment Complex, Carl couldn't hide his excitement and as a result, he'd opened up some. He was eager to see the place, play all the different games, try the food. He'd had friends who'd gone and had a ton of fun, and Carl had always asked to go but something would oftentimes get in the way.

Therefore, Rick thought that taking him there would be a wonderful surprise and give them some much needed time to bond. Once they arrived at the Complex, the tension had eased a bit. For they were distracted by the activities and immense arcade. They'd rode the Go Karts, played Laser Tag, Space Balls and many other things. They'd even met other families and had bonded with them while playing the games together, but were not connecting with each other the way Rick had wanted. After all the fun and games, they'd made their way to the restaurant within the Complex, ordered a Meat Lover's pizza, per Carl's request, which was heavy even for Rick. Michonne would get a good laugh out of this. Me feeling something had too much meat. He'd thought with a smile after the first bite, when giddiness sprang in his heart, as his mind briefly set on their planned movie date that night. Despite the Pizza's heaviness Rick had managed to ingest two slices and a half a cup of Coca-Cola. However, as the meal dragged on, the awkwardness and tension thickened to the point of diminishing his appetite, driving him to push Carl to talk.

 _"You gonna talk to me? Or am I gone have to pry it out of you by forcing you to go another round of Laser Tag."_ He said, which prompted a weak smile out of his son, but it was again taken over by somberness. " _Carl, what's wrong?"_ Rick gently urged.

 _"Nothing."_ The boy answered with a shrug.

 _"One-word answer again_." Rick noted aloud. " _Something is wrong otherwise you wouldn't be so quiet."_

 _"I've not been quiet."_ Carl denied. " _I talked in the arcade. I'm talking now."_

 _"You're talking, but you're not saying anything."_

 _"There's nothing to say."_ Carl claimed, shrugging again.

 _"I can tell you're upset."_ Rick declared. " _I know, things have been difficult with me moving out, and your mom and I going our separate ways."_

 _"With you going your separate way_." Carl quietly retorted, astonishing Rick.

 _"What does that mean?"_ He then inquired.

 _"Nothing."_

 _"Don't tell me nothing. What did you mean by me going my separate way?"_

 _"Are you leaving us for another woman?!"_ Carl erupted without warning.

 _"What?!"_ Rick exclaimed with shock.

 _"Mom said she asked you for another chance but that you don't want it because you met someone else_." Carl explained, anger rising in his voice.

 _"What your mother told you is not true."_ Rick replied, his mind drifting to Michonne and how their relationship could be misconstrued in the context of this situation, yet how she was an extraordinary addition to his life, who already felt apart of him in ways he didn't fully understand, and thus was that 'someone else' in part driving him to do what he should've months ago.

 _"Mom lied?"_

 _"Your mother…is having a difficult time accepting the change in our relationship."_ Rick stated with caution. " _I am not leaving her for someone else…"_

 _"But did you meet someone?"_ Carl questioned, staring his father down.

 _"I did."_ Rick admitted as he remained focused on his son, not once turning from Carl's troubled stare. " _She's a friend, who has nothing to do with what's happening with me and your mom."_

 _"If that's true, why won't you give mom a chance?"_

Furious, Rick struggled to keep the emotion from showing to his son. He could not believe that Lori would put him in this position, that she would really go here, putting their son in the middle of their problems. " _Carl, sometimes people have a relationship that works."_ He said, forcing his anger into compassion for his son. " _But then with time it starts to break down. You do everything you can to fix it, but it's not enough."_

 _"Do you want to fix it?"_ Carl sourly asked.

 _"I did. But when I saw that things had completely changed…for both me and your mom, I realized that we couldn't be fixed, that it was time to let go."_

 _"But that's not true, mom's been unhappy since you moved out_." Carl argued. " _That's why she kissed Uncle Shane, because she was lonely…."_

 _"Carl…"_

 _"It's true. She wan…"_

 _"Carl!"_ Rick strongly asserted finally getting him to quiet and listen. _Your mom will always be important to me because she's your mother, but we can't be together._

 _"You mean you won't be with her."_

 _"Carl…"_

 _"Mom's right. You don't care about us. You just care about yourself!"_

 _"Carl, that is not tru…"_

 _"I'm not hungry anymore."_

 _"Carl!"_ Rick called, but he couldn't stop his son from leaving the table and storming out of the restaurant.

* * *

Michonne laid her engagement ring on top of the clock on Mike's side of the bed, she hadn't worn it in Philly and thus couldn't give it back to him while she was there. She then walked about the bedroom and the other rooms upstairs before strolling on the rooms on the second floor, then the ones downstairs, taking one final look around the townhouse, making sure she'd gotten everything she'd brought to the space. She couldn't believe this part of her life was done. She thought with a hint of melancholy when her mind went to Mike, who she'd briefly talked to a few days before. She couldn't believe he was now her past, but in the same breath she was relieved that she was now able move on with her life, start over and hopefully find happiness elsewhere. Michonne warmed within at the memory of her call with Rick, feeling excited about their planned movie…. What? Date? No. She rejected, refusing to accept the obvious. Why? She had to remind herself, because it was too soon for such actions.

 _"Having second thoughts?"_ She heard Angela ask as she came back into the house after placing the final box in the car.

 _"No. I just can't believe it's over."_

 _"It doesn't have to be."_ Angela stated.

 _"But it does_." Michonne looked at her friend. " _I'm not in love with him."_

 _"But you're in love with this Rick?"_ Her friend questioned, nearly indignant.

 _"What are you talking about?"_

 _"You did leave Mike; a man you've been with for four years for him."_

 _"No. I didn't_." Michonne firmly refuted. " _Why would you think that?"_

 _"You go to Florida, meet this…Rick and suddenly you're ready to leave Mike."_ Angela contended, judgment in her tone _. "Sounds like you left him for Rick to me."_

 _"I've been questioning my relationship with Mike for months, you know this."_ Michonne pointed out, now perturbed by her friend's deduction.

 _"And yet you accepted his proposal."_

 _"Why are you saying this now, when I'm about to walk out the door? Do you not want me to crash at your place? Because if not, you can just say."_

 _"I don't mind you crashing at my place. I just want to make sure you're not making a mistake."_ Angela stated. " _Mike is a good man, and he's rich and successful. He adores you. Most women would kill for that."_ She said. " _But you're running after this guy, who is a sheriff's deputy, with a wife and kid and no money…"_

 _"How do you know he doesn't have any money?"_

 _"Chonne please, you're completely out of his league."_

 _"And you're completely misrepresenting the situation."_ Michonne exclaimed, her irritation growing. " _First off he's divorcing his wife. Secondly, you don't even know him."_

 _"Do you?"_ Angela retorted.

 _"I know enough."_ Michonne defended. " _You didn't spend three days with him in Palmer and see what type of man he is and what he continues to be as my friend. And furthermore, whether I'd met him or not, I still would've ended things with Mike."_ She argued. " _Yes, he's a good man, but he's not the man for me."_

 _"And this Rick is?"_

 _"I don't know."_ Michonne replied, even as something within her told her that wasn't true, that Rick Grimes was special in ways she was not yet ready to admit.

 _"Ok, what if you and this guy get together Chonne? You'd have to deal with his ex-wife, and kid. You don't even want kids."_ Her friend reminded.

 _"I never said I didn't want kids."_ Michonne fiercely denied. " _I just don't want them right now."_

 _"If you and this guy get together you'll have his kid to deal with, "right now."_

 _"IF we get together, it would be just dating."_ Michonne countered. " _I wouldn't be trying to marry him. And as far as Mike goes, I couldn't go on pretending that I was in love with him when I wasn't. He deserves better and so do I."_

 _"I still think you should go back to him."_ Angela staunchly maintained. " _Love isn't everything."_

 _"This from the woman who just told me a few weeks ago that lust was fleeting and love was forever."_

 _"I was trying to get you to see what you had with Mike, before you…made a choice like this_." She stated with exasperation.

 _"Ang, I appreciate that you care, but I'm not a child."_ Michonne declared with her own frustration. " _I understand the choices I'm making, and those choices are what's best for me, no one else."_

 _"Alright."_ Angela retorted. " _I'll be in the car when you're ready."_ She said, Michonne acknowledged her response, then watched as her friend walk out the house, while contemplating the points she'd made about Rick.


	10. Midnight in the Galaxy

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding as always I appreciated it!**

 **Chapter Ten**

The night was quiet with a hint of coolness. The midnight sky completely cloudless and perfect for what was the 10th Skype "outing", "date" Rick and Michonne had over the past three weeks. Since Rick had opened that door with the suggestion of catching a movie over Skype, he and Michonne had been interacting more than ever. In addition to texting and talking on the phone, they were Skyping almost three times a week, sometimes over a meal, a movie and that night it was for stargazing. Rick had suggested the outing, after thinking it was something they could do if they were ever in the same city again. But then he'd had a lightbulb moment, and thought why not try it over Skype.

He was renting a small house in a remote part of Palmer, and he knew that the Angela's house, which was where Michonne was still staying, was on a dark country road in the suburbs outside Atlanta, places that would be perfect for a stargazing "outing." Though they were talking a lot and spending more time "together," Rick and Michonne were still defining themselves as friends. However, they both knew, the unspoken truth, that neither, especially Michonne, was willing to admit aloud, that they were dating and had been since they'd met that hot July day in King County. Michonne finished setting up her lawn chair and opened the "Starlight" app on her phone. She then looked to her laptop that sat on a small table next to her chair and saw that Rick was doing the same, when suddenly there was a weird noise and he disappeared out of frame.

 _"What happened?"_ She asked.

 _"The dam chair buckled."_ Rick stated out of frame.

 _"You okay?"_

 _"Just a bit of a bruised ass, but other than that I'm fine."_ He said, coming back into frame, looking particularly attractive in what looked like a dark brown t-shirt that somehow brought out the intense blue in his eyes.

 _"Did you get it fixed_ _?"_

 _"Yeah, but I'm going to have to get a new one_ _before_ _the next time we do this."_ He said as he settled in the questionable chair.

 _"You're counting on a next time?"_ She playfully asked.

 _"Is there any reason why I shouldn't?"_

 _"Maybe."_ She teased.

 _"Well then I guess I better make the best of this_ _time_ _."_ He whispered with ardor _._

 _"I guess you better_." She quipped as their gazes met, their emotion fervent, illuminated in the darkness by the lanterns they had lit nearby.

 _"Where should we start?"_ Rick then asked, after taking a breath and reluctantly turning his eyes to the sky, thinking how hard this was going to be. He'd enjoyed so much the Skype time they'd had over the past few weeks. He thrived off the deep intimacy they shared, but it was getting more difficult to just Skype, due to the distance. He wanted to really see her, to smell the sweetness of her scent, to touch her, all impossible over the computer.

 _"How about Ursa Minor?"_ Michonne suggested the only constellation she knew as she too struggled within with the ongoing physical distance between them. Though she was pleased with how things were going, how much their connection had grown, she wanted more. But she'd asked for this, time for them to resolve the lingering relationships in their lives, time to be certain that what they were feeling was solid. Thus, she'd see it through. She had to. It was for the best. She tried again to convince herself.

 _"The Little Bear. A.K.A. the Little Dipper?"_ Rick replied.

 _"You know it?"_

 _"I didn't ask you here for nothing."_ He smirked, intriguing Michonne. " _Tonight it's in the northern sky, resting in the curve of Draco, better known as the Dragon, the tail is a curve of stars just to the left of the dipper. You follow me?"_

Michonne darkened her lantern as Rick did the same, then easily found the constellation, surprisingly without using her star app. " _Yes, I follow."_ She confirmed.

 _"The story is that a dragon guarded the entrance to Hesperides, where golden apples grew and was killed by Hercules, who's a little further to the west."_ Rick continued. _"There's also the story that Athena threw a dragon into the sky after it attacked her while she was fighting the Titans."_

 _"You've been holding out on me."_ Michonne stated in surprise as she observed in awe, the constellation Draco, that covered a modest section in the sky, around Ursa Minor a.k.a. the Little Dipper.

 _"Nah._ _I just read up on a few of the constellations before this outing."_ Rick joked.

 _"Oh did you now_ _?"_ She laughed. _"What else did you learn?"_

 _"That I love to hear you laugh."_ He uttered.

 _"You found that in your research?"_ She softly asked as she looked towards the screen, and was disappointed to only see the faint silhouette of him doing the same.

 _"Something like that."_ He responded in quietness.

 _"I'd love to hear more."_

 _"I'll tell you when I see you."_ He promised.

 _"You can see me now."_ She gently countered.

 _"No. I mean when I can SEE you."_ He clarified, his tone tender with desire.

 _"That's four months away."_ Michonne faintly stated with a hint of complaint _._

 _"You counting down to when we can "see" each other?"_ He asked his voice suddenly beaming with delight.

 _"Aren't you?"_

 _"You bet I am."_ He answered without hesitation, which deepen the happiness and fervor in Michonne's heart, pushing her dangerously close to the edge, to the choice to throw caution to the wind and change her decision to stay friends for 6 months, but she stayed the course, sticking to the decision she'd made...

 _"We should…get back to the sky."_ She said with focus and strength.

 _"Whatever you want."_ Rick huskily replied, nearly undoing her with his simple response. " _So_ _where to next?"_ He then asked while trying himself to control his emotions, to not ask her for what she might not quite be ready for.

 _"You tell me."_ Michonne quietly declared.

 _"You sure about that?"_

 _"I'm ready for where ever you want to go."_

 _"And I'm more than ready to take you there."_ Rick answered with impassion. _"But it's not possible tonight…so we'll have to settle for the stars."_

 _"How disappointing_." Michonne sighed, heating Rick, heightening his desire to see her, to touch her with a fever that had intensified in that moment. There was a second of quiet with both using the silence to re-engage the sky, to meditate on its brilliance and settle the powerful wanting that was threatening to overwhelm them.

 _"Pegasus!"_ Rick then abruptly exclaimed after the hotness he felt gradually melded into a smolder, controllable.

 _"The Winged Horse that sprang from Medusa's blood."_ Michonne asserted as she too calmed. " _I studied some Greek mythology in college."_ She answered before he could ask.

 _"Let's see if you can find it."_ He responded with a challenge.

 _"It should be easy with my constellation app."_ She said, which caused Rick to scoff in feigned annoyance. " _Hey not all of us grew up in the country and can do this without help."_ She quipped.

 _"You making digs at my country upbringing?"_ Rick questioned, pretending to be insulted.

 _"No. Just speaking the truth."_

 _"Hmrph"._ He amusingly scoffed before they went on to discuss the mythology around Pegasus then spent quite a bit of time exploring the surrounding constellations in the northern sky – Hercules, Cassiopeia, Lyra, Cygnus, Cepheus, all the while talking not just about the stars and the history associated with them, but about their life experiences. Rick had revealed that his knowledge of the stars came from years of camping and hunting as a kid with his father, which had led the conversation to fishing and hiking. The former being something Michonne had never done, with Rick promising to take her one day, when their discussion had turned to travel, not just in Georgia, but outside the United States.

Rick had admitted that he wasn't particularly gong ho about traveling extensively overseas, mainly because he didn't know if he could stand being on a plane for more than four hours, but he wasn't completely closed off to the idea. Michonne assured him that the flights weren't bad. _You sleep and eat for most of the trip and by the time you finish that you're there._ She'd said. Rick had followed up her statement with questions. Inquiring about the longest flights she'd ever taken and about the best places she'd ever visited. He'd been most intrigued by her experiences in Africa and was specifically interested in exploring the wild and encountering the native tribes first hand.

 _"You have to go. At least once in your life."_ Michonne excitedly suggested as the discussion wound down.

 _"I'd love to, but only if you come with me."_ Rick replied in a quiet tone.

 _"I can do that."_ She assured, matching the softness in his voice.

 _"Shooting star! Make a wish!"_ He then suddenly exclaimed. Michonne quickly searched the sky and spotted the bright object streaking across the heavens just in time enough to embrace the tradition. " _What did you wish for?"_ He then immediately asked.

 _"I'm not telling_." She lightly rejected.

 _"I'll tell you mine."_ He temptingly offered.

 _"I'm still not going to tell you."_

 _"Hmm. Beautiful and coy."_ He softly deduced.

 _"I'm not coy."_ Michonne denied, even as she blushed, feverishly at his 'beautiful' comment. " _I'm just not telling."_

 _"We'll see about that."_ Rick warned, mischief in his tone.

 _"What're you going to do?"_ Michonne asked with a laugh. " _You're 300 miles away."_

 _"Who says my plan is to get it out of you tonight?"_ He smoothly retorted. " _I could be playing the long game."_

 _"Okay, and what is this long game?"_

 _"If you don't know, then I'm already there."_ He huskily declared, leaving Michonne speechless and feverish, knowing that he was right. He'd already won the long game, the war, whatever he chose to call it. She was just delaying the inevitable with the restriction she felt she needed to put on their relationship. Michonne again focused on the sky, zeroing in on a spectacular orb in the west, reminding herself that for now, the distance, their "friendship" was for the best. The silence was companionable which was rather strange with them being hundreds of miles apart. However, even with the distance, they felt the kindred between their spirits as they admired the bright beauties in the sky, savored the tranquilness in the sounds of night and the company of each other.

 _"Do you think we're the only ones out here? I mean we, the people of earth, the only ones in the universe?"_ Michonne asked into the silence as she continued to look in amazement towards the heavens.

 _"I don't. Do you?"_ Rick replied.

 _"I don't know."_ She answered with honesty. " _It only makes sense that there would be more beings out there somewhere, but what does that say about God and creation, if more worlds than our own was created with other people out there?"_

 _"I don't know, that what we read in the Bible is untrue?"_ Rick stated what'd he'd thought when the subject had come up with others in the past. " _Or that it's only true for this world?"_ He further clarified.

 _"Good point, but the Bible was written by man..."_

 _"But man was supposedly directed by the spirit of God_."

 _"This is the belief, but that had to be influenced heavily by scientific beliefs at the time, that the universe revolved around the Earth, that the Earth was flat etc."_ Michonne pointed out, revealing her own struggles with the beliefs in the Bible. " _I'm sorry."_ She then said. " _I didn't mean to open Pandora's Box that is religion."_

 _"No apology needed. I like this."_ Rick truthfully stated. " _We've been talking Greek, Roman and Egyptian Mythology all night, why not talk Christianity too."_ He said, easing Michonne's uncertainty about broaching the subject, causing her to appreciate his openness.

 _"If there are other worlds, what do you think the people are like?"_ She posed, slightly changing the subject. " _Anything like us here on Earth?"_

 _"Nah."_

 _"Really?"_

 _"If God made the Earth, why would he make more worlds with identical beings? Even the planets and galaxies that have been discovered aren't the same."_ Rick argued. " _I think if there are more people…beings out there, they're different from us."_

 _"You've thought a lot about this."_ Michonne noted aloud, finding his thoughts, as always, provocative.

 _"I've had a lot of time on my hands lately."_ He stated in jest.

 _"Somehow I don't think this started as of late."_ Michonne humorously countered. They'd then gone on to theorize about other people in other worlds, that eventually caused the topic to drift to sci-fi movies, then horror, which they'd quickly abandoned due to where they both were, outside in the darkness, in the middle of the night, alone in their respective locations. Next, the conversation had landed strangely on breakfast and the impending sunrise that was only about an hour away. Though they were both starting to feel the effects of being awake for hours after they'd have normally gone to sleep, neither wanted the night to end, and thus were set on doing breakfast over Skype.

 _"So how is this going to work?"_ Michonne brightly asked. " _Should I sit my laptop next to the counter so you can watch me fry an omelet?"_ She guessed, causing Rick to laugh.

 _"That'll work."_ He smiled, loving the idea of watching her cook.

 _"I'm sure it would for you."_ Michonne playfully sniped, knowing exactly what he was thinking. " _But what about me? I think I want to see you take on meal and cook something."_

 _"I'm not cooking."_

 _"Why not?!"_

 _"I only got cereal in the house."_

 _"Convenient_." Michonne scoffed, rolling her eyes and was about to say more, but her cell phone began to ring. Alarmed, she immediately looked to see who was calling and saw that it was Mike. _Something was wrong_. She thought, then told Rick who it was, before fearfully answering the call.


	11. Delusions and Rage

**Thanks all for the responses!**

 **Chapter Eleven**

Michonne hung up the phone, returned to her lawn chair and found Rick still up on Skype, having turned on his lantern, while patiently waiting for her to finish the call.

 _"Is everything alright_?" He asked with concern.

 _"No._ _Mike's father died."_ Michonne sadly replied as she replayed in her mind what Mike had said, that he and his family had made the difficult decision to take his father off life support. She knew that this was a choice that might have to be made from the brief conversations she'd had with him over the past few weeks, but she was hoping by some miracle it wouldn't come to this. It was heartbreaking to hear, not only Mike's pain but the news that Mr. Thompson was gone. He was a good man, who was a rock for his family. He would undoubtedly be missed.

 _"I'm sorry to hear that_." Rick uttered with sincerity. " _Are you okay?"_ He then asked, feeling the sadness he saw in her eyes, wanting to be where she was, to hold her as she dealt with this news.

 _"Yeah. I'm okay."_ She sighed. " _Mike_ … _wants me to come to Philadelphia."_ She then revealed and watched in unease as Rick dropped his eyes.

 _"That's…understandable…Are you going?"_ He asked after a moment of silence, returning his eyes to her.

 _"I have to. He needs me."_ She replied, the guilt in her heart, strong in her voice. Rick again looked down speaking not a word of the conflict he was feeling inside. " _You don't think I should go?"_ Michonne quietly asked, seeing the slight change in his demeanor.

 _"It doesn't matter what I think."_ He declared, giving her his eyes once more.

 _"But it does_." She countered, conviction in her tone. " _Your opinion matters to me."_ Her words stirred him with a quiet joy, encouraging him to confess his selfish thoughts. He didn't want her to go because a part of him feared what could happen if she went to Mike under such emotionally charged circumstances. It would be too easily to slip back into what was. However, he had no right to ask her not to go, to push his selfish fears onto her. They weren't together. They were just friends, and furthermore, she wanted to and need to do this. Moreover, though he'd filed for divorce, he wasn't completely free of Lori, and lastly he needed to trust what was in his heart. What he felt for her and what he knew she felt for him, and believe that her trip to Philadelphia would simply be her being a friend to Mike, during this trying time.

 _"You should go_." Rick stated aloud. His response unexpected to Michonne, who in turn asked...

 _"Is that really what you want?"_

 _"It is."_ He confirmed as he held her gaze, making her feel deeply content, amazed that despite what he felt for her and what was so obvious between them, he respected her choice and refused to make this situation with Mike about him. Her heart swelled with a tender warmth and again questioned why she was waiting to take their relationship to the next step. Michonne briefly looked down, ending their intense stare, then spoke…

 _"I should go. Get some sleep."_ She said with hesitance, really wanting to express what was in her heart, but knowing it was best she get some rest instead. Who knew what the next few days would be like with her planning to go to Philadelphia.

 _"Alright."_ Rick quietly acknowledged as he lightly nodded his head and looked away, barely keeping the disappointment out of his voice.

 _"I had a great time tonight."_ Michonne softly utterly, drawing his gaze back to her. " _I'm looking forward to doing this again."_

 _"We're doing this again?"_ Rick gently smiled.

 _"We are."_ She confirmed with subtle delight.

 _"This might not be the right time, with what's happened…and tell me if it isn't."_ Rick said, intriguing Michonne. " _But it's only 40 minutes until sunrise…"_

 _"Okay_." She accepted with a small smile what he was asking, before he could state the question. Happiness grew on Rick's face, and the sadness somewhat abated in Michonne's heart, as they both turned their eyes to the eastern sky, relishing the beauty of the spectacular sunrise, and the bliss at sharing the moment, for the first time together.

* * *

Four days later Michonne had arrived in Philadelphia, still feeling conflicted about her decision to come. She knew that Mike needed her, and she felt that it was only right that she be there for him, considering their history and how she'd recently broken his heart. However, she didn't want to reopen the door that had been their romance, give him the impression that there was still a chance for them.

What's more, she was concerned about how his family would react to the woman who'd dumped their brother and son while their father (and husband) was deathly ill, showing up at the funeral. Ultimately, it had not been an issue. She'd arrived hours earlier, just in time enough to attend Mr. Thompson's wake and was stunned to learn that Mike had not told his family about their breakup. At the wake and the dinner that followed, numerous family members had mentioned her engagement to Mike. Some had even congratulated their impending nuptials.

She'd of course, not said a word because it just wasn't the time, not to mention, to speak the truth would only cause unnecessary drama. Nonetheless, things had gotten worse when Mike's mother had insisted she stay the night at the house, not taking no for an answer and stated that with her and Mike being engaged, they were practically married anyway. Thus there was no reason why she should be staying at a hotel.

The idea of doing so was "ridiculous" and "unacceptable". The woman had declared. Michonne had not even given a response, but excused herself to the restroom, then found somewhere to be alone. It had taken a few minutes, but she'd finally discovered a place that was free of guests and family who'd attended the dinner. There was a balcony on the backside of the house that overlooked the large flower gardens on the east side of the property. Michonne walked out onto the vast terrace, letting the cool air surround her, trying to figure out how she was going to manage the situation, feeling guilty at her anger over what had happened. She was supposed to be here providing support to Mike, not projecting a lie. She mused with chagrin, when she heard the door open behind her.

 _"I'm sorry. I've put you in this position."_ Mike said into the quiet, after he came to stand at her side. " _With all that's going on I just haven't had an opportunity to tell the family about our breakup."_

 _"They didn't see me for over a month, and they still thought we were together?"_ Michonne skeptically asked, looking his way.

 _"I told them that you were tied down with work."_ Mike cautiously confessed, confirming what she'd suspected all along.

 _"So you didn't just lie by omission when you were asked why I wasn't here, you perpetuated_ _that_ _lie by implying that we were still together?"_ She then queried unable to hide her frustration.

 _"Chonne…"_

 _"I can't do this."_ She said, then moved to leave the balcony.

 _"Do what?"_ Mike questioned, blocking her path.

 _"I can't keep up this lie_." She replied. " _I cannot stay here tonight."_

 _"What are you saying? You're going to leave?"_

 _"Yes. I'm going back to the hotel."_

 _"Do I repulse you that much, that you can't stay one night in the same room with your former fiancé, the man up until a few weeks ago you shared a home?"_ Mike retorted.

 _"I'm not repulsed by you. I'm…frustrated about this lie."_ Michonne strongly conveyed. " _I_ _didn't come here for this."_

 _"Did you think I asked you here just as a friend, because I only needed your comfort?"_ Mike stiffly countered. " _For the past few weeks I was giving you space, trying to remove some of the pressure that my proposal caused."_ He said, shocking Michonne with his revelation. _"But... my father's death… put things in perspective, made me realize that I could no longer wait. I needed to work this out with you right now…"_

 _"Mike…"_

 _"I love you."_ He continued with conviction, interrupting her response. " _And I know that we can work through this."_

 _"Mike_ …" Michonne sighed, then hesitated, feeling their break up all over again – the hurt, causing her to struggle with her response. " _Mike…"_ She began again. " _I understand your father's death, changing you…making you want to hold on to those you…care about most."_ She sadly, cautiously stated feeling terribly guilty. _"But, we can't…I can't."_

 _"You can't what?"_

 _"I can't be with you."_

 _"Then why did you come here?"_ Mike questioned, harshness rising in his tone.

 _"Because you asked me too."_ Michonne fiercely replied _. "_ _Because I care…."_

 _"You didn't fly nearly 800 miles because you care."_ He accused. _You love me._

 _"As a friend, not as a lover."_ She firmly corrected.

 _"I don't believe you."_ He denied.

 _"Mike..."_

 _"You can't tell me that for four years you only loved me as a friend."_ He interjected.

 _"It doesn't matter what was. What matters is what is."_ Michonne strongly countered _._

 _"And what is Chonne?"_

 _"I'm won't do this again."_

 _"And what is that? Tell me you don't love me, reject me_?" He asserted with agony and ire.

 _"Mike you're hurting, grie..."_

 _"Don't tell me what I feel!"_ He nearly roared, angst in his voice. " _I am not blinded by grief, I'm lucid right now, more lucid than I've ever been in my life, and I want the truth. Why did you walk away from us?"_

 _"I said I'm not doing this anymore."_ Michonne firmly stood her ground, looking him in the eyes, even as she struggled with the guilt she felt at hurting him again. " _I'm leaving."_ She said. " _If you still…want me at the funeral tomorrow. I'll be here."_

 _"Whoever he is or whatever it is, it won't last."_ Mike declared, again stepping into her path and unknowingly unnerving Michonne, making her think of her relationship with Rick Grimes. " _It'll come and go, and when it's over, you'll see what we had. You'll see that you won't find anyone that can offer you what you need like I can."_ He emotionally claimed. " _And when you see that you'll come back to me."_ Michonne swallowed back the emotions that his words seemed to stir - fear, guilt and pain and steadily held his gaze of confidence and woe.

 _"Let me know about tomorrow."_ She stated with strength. " _I'm here, as a friend, if you need me."_ She offered once more, then stepped passed Mike and left the balcony.

* * *

King County, Georgia

 _"You leaving already."_ Deputy Sims asked as he walked into the locker room of the Sheriff's Department.

 _"It's Tuesday."_ Rick said as he his slipped on his shirt, reminding the deputy that he always had a short shift on Tuesdays.

 _"Oh yeah, you got counseling today."_ The deputy deduced.

Rick didn't bother to ask how the man knew he went to counseling on Tuesdays. It was a small town and a small sheriff's department, and as a result, secrets rarely stayed secret. That's why he'd insisted he and Lori do the counseling an hour and a half away, in Macon. It wasn't ideal, but at least the town wouldn't get an earful about their personal business unless one of them was doing the telling. Rick had agreed to go to counseling mainly due to his lawyer's recommendation. The man had stated, it could only help matters, make things less contentious with the divorce. Though he could see a difference in Carl due to his individual counseling, the counseling he and Lori were receiving was ultimately a waste of time. Nevertheless, he'd continue on, complete the counseling time he'd agreed upon – 6 weeks. He only had two more weeks until he'd fulfill his obligation and once complete, he'd demand that Lori stop these games and give him the divorce.

 _"So how's it going? Any closer to getting the wife to give you that divorce?"_ The young man nosily asked, disrupting Rick's thoughts.

 _"Weren't you due on patrol 10 minutes ago?"_ Rick questioned the rookie deputy, who responded with a looked of "busted" all over his face. " _Best get to it then_." He ordered and the young deputy quickly obeyed. Rick watched the young man make a quick exit, leaving him alone in the locker room. He then closed his locker and moved to send Michonne a text. He'd be unavailable most of the evening and wanted to touch base before he got going, but stopped when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

 _"So it's true? You're back with Lori?"_ Rick turned to face the man who until a few weeks ago had been one of his closest friends.

 _"Is that all you got to say after weeks of avoiding me?"_ Rick retorted.

 _"I haven't been avoiding you_." Shane snapped back.

 _"Oh but you have. A sudden change to night shift, unexplained emergencies out of town, trainings which you never do."_ Rick pointed out. " _I guess you couldn't face me after the shit you pulled with Lori."_

 _"What the hell are you talking about?"_ Shane angrily questioned.

 _"You really gonna do this? Act like you don't know what I'm talking about_." Rick stiffly replied _. "Lori told me about the little incident at the house."_ He continued when his former friend remained mum, his eyes aflame with fury and his arms locked across his chest. " _How you came on to her."_

 _"Came on to her?"_ Shane scoffed.

 _"How long have you been itching to make that move? Since college? Since Lori and I married?"_ Rick question with piqued curiosity. " _I knew you wanted her since the moment I introduced you. But I ignored it. After all, it's not uncommon for a man to admire his friend's girlfriend or wife, but to go after her…"_

 _"You were never the man she needed you to be."_ Shane charged. " _You never gave her the attention she deserved. If it wasn't some exam, or game, it was your work. Even when she was pregnant with Carl you couldn't stop running after criminals long enough to help her through the pregnancy."_

 _"That's a dam lie!"_ Rick vehemently denied.

 _"Where were you when Lori went into labor? Or when Carl had his first baseball game? Where were you when he needed a ride to practice? Or to perfect his swing?"_ Shane bitterly threw in Rick's face. _"I've been more of a husband to Lori and a father to Carl than you've ever been."_ He claimed _._

 _"Is that what you think? That all this time my family has been yours?"_ Rick furiously asked. " _You think driving Lori to the hospital and helping Carl with his game makes you a husband to my ex and a father to my son?!"_

 _"I've done a hell of a lot more than that and you know it."_

 _"At times you've been of help."_ Rick admitted. _"But have you put food on their table? Paid their bills? Kept a roof over their heads? Lived with them day in and day out, dealing with the good and bad from both of them?!_ He posed with fire _. Yeah, you've done some thangs, but you don't know shit about being a husband and father."_

 _"You think so?"_ Shane retorted his voice shaking with wrath. _"Well then you should ask Lori and Car..."_

 _"I don't need to ask."_ Rick cut Shane off but was shaken by what looked like rage spiking in his eyes, making Rick sadly realize his deep envy towards him and thus caused him to question the validity of their friendship. " _My relationship with MY son tells me all I need to know."_ He fearlessly continued. " _And as far as Lori goes, why don't you ask her whose stalling our divorce?"_

 _"She already told me what you're doing."_ Shane fumed.

 _"Then you should know that I'm done with the I don't care that you want her."_ Rick severely countered _. "I care… about our friendship."_ He then stated, struggling to be more calm, to appeal to what he hoped was still some semblance of friendship between them _. "That we had a mutual respect for each other, that certain lines would never be crossed. That our friendship would never be broken by a woman."_ He said and saw a glimpse of amity in Shane's eyes but his indignant response said different…

 _"You don't deserve them."_

 _"And you do?"_

 _"I'm what they need, what you've never been to them."_ Shane declared with ire.

 _"Maybe to Lori."_ Rick responded with controlled vexation _. "Maybe ya'll can have something, but no matter what you have with her, you'll never be a father to my son. "You'll never replace me with Carl."_ He said as he held Shane's stare, long and hard, conveying that Carl was off limits. Then grabbed his stuff and walked away, failing to hear the response that seethed under Shane's breath -" _We'll see."_


	12. Atlanta - The Beautiful

**Thanks everyone for hanging in here! I appreciate the support.**

 **Chapter Twelve**

Michonne hung up the phone, finished writing a few notes she'd gathered from the client she was just speaking with and thought about planning an escape to anywhere but there. However, upon looking at her calendar she noted two upcoming meetings and realized an escape would not be happening anytime soon. Since she'd returned from Philadelphia, the sadness and fiasco that had been her attempt at being there for Mike, life had been a little insane. She'd traveled to London unexpectedly for a week because of a crisis at her job and was working with a significantly smaller team, but seemingly more clients due to another layoff. In addition to dealing with the craziness at work, she'd moved out of Angela's house.

Crashing with her had worked when Angela was distracted with Reggie and Michonne was busy with work, but when there was downtime and they were both in the home, things would get awkward, with Angela being anal about every little thing. As a result, Michonne was now a firm believer of the old adage that every queen needed her own castle and that friends can't always be roommates.

Michonne glanced at the time on her desk clock, her mind instantly going to Rick, how much she missed their daily talks. They'd kept their routine going, talking and texting multiple times a day during all of her chaos over past weeks, but the last few days' things had changed. She'd been so busy with work, dealing with the upheaval there, working extra-long hours, from sunrise to sundown, that she'd barely had time to text, and no opportunities for calls. But maybe that was for the best? She posed to herself. Considering how close they'd become, just with texts, calls and Skype.

Maybe they needed to slow things down. There was still three months to go until they could truly pursue something more than friendship. But that was under the assumption that by that time Rick would be divorced. They were way ahead of where she planned, connected in ways she never imagined, not that she was complaining. Nonetheless, what would she do if Lori wouldn't grant Rick the divorce? The woman had already been stalling for months to move things forward. Would she wait for Rick forever? Asking herself a question that stirred her with emotions she wasn't yet ready to face, and honestly she hoped she'd never have to.

She did however, need to connect with Rick, to hear his voice, feel his humor and the comfort he brought. Though they texted early that morning with her telling him of her jammed packed day and them wishing each other a good one, they hadn't communicated since, due to her being engaged in back to back meetings. Maybe she could reach out to him now. Give him a call before her next meeting. She mused with excitement. Michonne picked up her cellphone and was just about to speed dial his number when the administrative assistant for the floor peaked her head into her office and announced that Mrs. Simpson, her boss, wanted to have a brief discussion before their next meeting. Michonne hid her frustration well, pleasantly accepting the firm request, then gathered the stack of materials she'd need for the chat and followed the administrative assistant out the office, vowing to call Rick before day's end.

* * *

Rick didn't plan this. No matter how much he wanted different, he planned to wait to see her, to respect her request that they give it six months before they pursued more than friendship. But fate had stepped in, wielding its hand and changing things. Three months ago, he didn't know that he'd be in Atlanta for a law enforcement summit about improving relations between minority communities and the police.

His boss, Sheriff Jackson, had planned to attend. However, his wife was due to have unexpected surgery. So he'd sent his second in command, Chief Deputy Bratton, Morgan Jones and Rick, due to his leadership amongst his fellow sheriff's deputies in King County. Rick wanted to be a part of the discussion, but really didn't want to go due to things finally moving forward with his divorce. Lori seemed to be coming around and might just be ready to sign the papers.

Additionally, he and Carl were making tremendous strides in strengthening their rapport. Unfortunately, the Sheriff had stopped short of ordering him to go, and though the man wasn't terribly progressive, he made it clear that attending would ensure that the department would receive federal funding that would be a godsend for improvements that needed to be made throughout the department. In spite of this, Rick was still reluctant to go and was seriously considering rejecting the order, until he learned where the Summit was being held – Atlanta.

Rick stepped out the elevator into the lobby of the parking garage, then exited into a plaza that was surrounded by office buildings and luxury apartments. He looked straight ahead and spotted his destination - a high-rise of glass windows and angled roofing. This was Michonne's place of work. He thought with nervous anticipation. Suddenly his heart seemed to dance in his chest, to pound more fiercely and his hands felt unusually clammy. What am I doing? He questioned within. Am I being too confident? Too bold _?_ They hadn't talked about this. She had no idea that he was in Atlanta.

Furthermore, their agreement was that they'd not see each other for six months, now here he was literally showing up on her doorstep, which could be interpreted in a number of ways, none of which were positive. Rick stared at the tall glass building, knowing that she was on the 23rd floor due to the many discussions they'd had about her job. He then took another scan of everything around him, noting the affluence of the area, the sophistication that was all Michonne. The excitement grew within him, heightening his desire to see her, to walk through that door, make his way to her office and find her. He knew that she'd be happy to see him. He could feel it, deep within his heart.

Even still he didn't know what he'd be walking into. She was at work, at least he hoped and wouldn't be expecting him. No matter how happy she'd be to see him, his visit could still be an unwanted to surprise. He should text her. Rick told himself. Let her know that he was there or give her a call. But he didn't want to. When he was honest with himself, he realized that apart of him was afraid of letting her know that he was there. She'd been so adamant about them waiting to see each other in person, to start a romance, that a part of him feared that if he told her he was in Atlanta, she'd turn him away. Not to mention the fact that they weren't together and he was about surprise her like they'd been officially dating for months. Hell, no woman would be cool with that. Rick thought as the doubt crept in and deepened, when he questioned whether she was even there. She could be away from the office meeting with a client. She could be traveling. Well he knew it wasn't the latter because she'd told him earlier in the week that she'd be Atlanta for at least the next couple of weeks.

Spotting a small café next to the building, Rick made his way to the restaurant instead of Michonne's place of business and quickly got seated at a table outside. It was a little early in the day for a drink, being as it wasn't even 6pm, but he ordered a beer anyway, hoping the Sweetwater brew would take the edge off. This is ridiculous. Rick scoffed to himself. You're not a 16 year-old trying to ask a girl to the prom. You're a man, who is going to visit a friend, nothing more. Making the decision he should've made a while ago, Rick picked up the phone to dial Michonne, but was stopped by a call coming through.

It was Carl. Rick spent the next 45 minutes speaking with his son, walking him through homework and talking baseball, while people watching and nursing his beer. It was a good conversation. Though it was a welcome change from where they were more than a month ago, Carl had yet to fully accept that his parents were never getting back together. After finishing the call with Carl, Rick had dialed Michonne, but her phone went straight to voicemail. He was disappointed. He wanted to tell her he was in town, that he wanted to see her, but he just didn't want to leave it out there like that, as a voicemail. Thus, he simply asked that she call, as soon as she got the message and hung up.

Rick took a breath, attempting to calm the knots in his stomach caused by the thought of her calling back. He then took a final swig of his beer, leaving it half full, threw a couple of dollars on the table for the waiter, exited the patio and made his way towards the parking deck. His stride was slow, his heart burning with longing, fighting his choice to leave this situation to a voicemail when she was a mere elevator ride away. His mind then recalled what it was like, the last time he'd seen her on that 4th of July night in Palmer. How beautiful she looked, how connected they were, what it felt like to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her.

Could he really be so close to her and walk away, with only the hope that she'd soon return his call? He questioned within, when he heard his name, the voice he knew so well invading his thoughts. Rick looked in the direction from which his name had been called, his heart now racing with excitement, when he saw her – the woman who he'd come there for, the woman who in such a short time meant so much to him. His breath quickened as they're eyes met. Her gaze shocked, yet mirroring the tenderness and joy he felt. Rick stood there for a moment, noting how incredible she looked, with her dreads pulled up in a messy bun, highlighting the beauty of her face, and the way the dress she wore fitted her perfectly, accentuating her curves and the splendidness of her legs.

 _"What, what are you doing here."_ Michonne quietly asked, as she slowly walked up to him, her gaze bound to his stare, warming her and weakening her all at once.

 _"Actually, I was just leaving."_ Rick replied in the same quiet tone, inciting a questioning look from her, which prompted him to continue. " _I'm in town for a law enforcement summit_ … _I know we agreed to wait 6 months, but…I couldn't wait, I had to see you."_ He admitted with impassion. Michonne briefly dropped her eyes at the hotness in his gaze, the power in his closeness.

 _"I'm glad you're here_." She nearly sighed.

 _"Really?"_ Rick uttered with a small smile, heat and happiness rushing through him as he gradually closed what was left of the distance between them.

 _"Really."_ She softly confirmed, her heart racing, barely keeping pace with her breath, when he took her face in his hands, his eyes, a smoldering blue, for a moment holding her gaze, silently asking her permission, which she wordlessly granted, before he lowered his mouth to hers, faintly touching them with his, inflaming them both, then slowly, passionately taking her mouth. Michonne helplessly moaned and responded in kind, deepening the kiss, elevating the longing within Rick, when she remembered where she was, and languidly pulled back, leaving Rick breathless and wanting more.

 _"Can I take you to dinner?"_ He then asked, his mouth still so close to hers, tempting her to kiss him again.

 _"Yes."_ She breathed.

 _"Where?"_

 _"There's a French restaurant down the street."_

 _"French. Huh?_ _How appropriate."_ He gently smirked, causing her to shyly drop her eyes and smile, before he then kissed her again.

* * *

Thirty Minutes Later

Rick and Michonne stumbled into her lavish condo, their lips locked in a flaming kiss, their focus fleetingly on closing and locking the door behind them, before they made their way to the master bedroom. Michonne stepped out of her three inch heels, while Rick discarded his Timberland boots, after which they moved to fluidly relinquish their clothes. Both assisting each other with unclasping buttons and zipping down garments, between passionate kisses that momentarily quenched their mounting desires.

Free of their clothing their lips met once more, their mouths feverishly melding together as Rick slipped his hands into her hair, loosening the pins that held it up, anchoring her lips to his with hunger. He then abandoned her mouth to graze her cheek, then drifted to her fragrant neck, causing Michonne to weaken in his arms, to moan. Pulling her tighter within his grasp, he returned his mouth to hers, rousing her to take control, passionately devouring his tongue while pulling him forward, walking them backwards until they reached the bed.

Rick amorously stared as Michonne lay nearly completely bare before him, with nothing but her lace undies and his boxers between them. She was beautiful. He thought with searing tenderness, admiring every inch of her body, that was a perfection of curviness and dark brown. Michonne caught his eyes when they turned back to hers, holding them as she slowly, sensuously unclasped her bra, mesmerizing him when she slipped it from her body and lightly tossed it aside.

Rick's breath stopped at the sight of her nude chest, the heat spiking in his veins, heightening the fire between them, when he stripped off his boxers, making her nervous, yet burning with hotness, at the flawlessness and fullness of his form. Rick lowered his taunt body over hers, and recaptured her lips with wild hunger, his tongue deeply probing her mouth, groaning at its sweet taste. He again moved to her neck, kissing a fiery path to her chest where he spent an infinite amount of time, exploring her sensuous mounds. He loved the way his caresses intensified her awakening desire, caused her to become more heated and pliant, to moan, to writhe beneath him, with every gentle squeeze, knead of his thumb, and feel of his mouth, hot and wet, tasting each peak.

Rick then traveled further, kissing a smoldering path over her belly, stopping a moment to gently attend to her navel, before reaching her panty line where he noted an elegant tattoo, that extended beyond the dainty covering of her undies. He tenderly kissed the small work of art, stirring Michonne to breathe his name, to open herself more to him, enticing him to move to the delicate valley between her thighs. Rick teased her to the brink of ecstasy, with the sensation of his mouth, moving the lace cloth against her, driving her to breathlessly sigh, to desperately want more, when he slipped her panties off.

He then fleetingly kissed her bareness, leaving her panting with yearning before surprising her by retracing his fervid path, coming to lay between her legs, his hardness, brushing against her. Michonne gasped, as he fervently assaulted her neck, fiercely tasting the sensitive spot beneath her ear, prompting her to force his mouth back to hers, to kiss him with intense need, setting him afire, driving him to fully surrender, to give himself to her completely, as he entered her with deliberate passion.


	13. Afterglow

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding, as always the support is appreciated.**

 **Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!**

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Michonne sensuously grinded against Rick, riding his length, tremoring at his fullness. With every motion she made, adjusting her position, while he moved beneath her, swirling his hips, skillfully titillating her walls, she felt herself slipping, weakening at the potent sensations that were sweeping through her, yet strengthen by the intoxicating passion in his eyes. He held her gaze, impassioned and tender, as he kneaded her hips, then slipped his hands to her ass and gently squeezed. Michonne harshly sighed at the power in the caress, teasing her to the brink of release, but she held on.

Drawing out the moment a little longer, she leaned forward, allowing her bare breast to caress his taut chest, igniting them with an electrifying heat churning within. She then sought his mouth, her tongue ardently exploring its depth, driving Rick to fervidly groan, to respond by lowering his hands to the cleave between her thighs, his fingers finding her most sensitive spot, then stroking her there, perfectly timing the sweet graze of his hand with her movement over him. Michonne cried out in pleasure as her rhythm helpless turned from controlled and steady to wild abandonment. She moved faster, rocked harder, fervently riding him. Their moans quickly became louder, filling the air, shattering the quiet, when the blazing force within them reached a feverish pitch, white-hot with tension, until it ruptured into an intense explosion.

* * *

Rick breathlessly groaned as Michonne nuzzled his neck, then his ear, before reaching her intended desire, his mouth. She kissed him, slowly, languidly, moaning as his hands drifted from her back and again to her ass, clutching it once more. She then moved to climb off of him, to disengage their bodies, but Rick stopped her, fluidly changing their positions to shift her beneath him. She gasped in surprised heat when he moved within her, and she found that his fullness was still there, so soon after his release. Rick then kissed her again with leisure and passion, as he continued to stroke her flushed cavern.

Michonne gasped his name, from the fervor his movement inflamed, driving her to fiercely clasp his back and for him to keen in pleasure and pain at the rousing grate of her nails. How was it that just moments before she'd reached her peak and was completely sated, only to instantly feel the fire again, rapidly building, stirring her with desperate need. She silently questioned in a rapturous haze. Pleased with her response, Rick rocked his hips against her, drawing out further to tease her aching cove, before going deeper, stronger. He then slid his hand between them, found where their bodies became one and delicately touched her nub, igniting a fiery spark of pleasure, nearly undoing her.

Michonne cried out once more when Rick used his thumb to tease her with torturous circles, applying an amazing pressure, all the while gradually increasing his tempo, steadily bringing them closer. Desire heightened within her, every nerve in her body quaking with fire, as Rick plunged deeper, ardently kissing her, awakening a profound yearning that was utterly foreign to her. When she felt it, a scorching hunger, racing through her veins, seizing her breath, making her tremble beyond control, just as it hit her like a wave, taking her out of body, consuming her with euphoria, nearly bringing her to tears. Rick closely followed her ascent, his body melting into a pool of flaming ecstasy before he crashed gently upon her, burying his face in her neck, passionately kissing it. They lay there a long moment, their breathes heavy, their bodies spent, trembling in the aftermath of their glorious completion.

 _So much for dinner, huh?_ Rick huskily, weakly uttered as he lifted his face from her neck and returned his eyes to hers, loving the contentment and peace he saw there.

 _I'll say_. She languidly breathed. Rick smiled then kissed her again, with tenderness. _What?_ She sighed, when his beautiful blue gaze again locked with hers and she saw something powerful, boundless, touching her deep, quickening her spirit, yet making her fearful of what she'd not seen or felt from him before.

 _I love you._ Rick desperately wanted to say, to express to her what he now knew, but hadn't quite understood when he'd first laid eyes on her that hot summer day in King County. Should he tell her? He anxiously questioned within as the desire in his heart fought with the logic in his head. It had only been that night, right now, that they'd officially taken their relationship beyond friendship, spontaneously giving themselves to each other.

Would it be too much if he said those three words that were now burning in his heart? Would she embrace them and submit to the emotion he could see in her eyes, that mirrored the profound tenderness he felt for her heart. Rick continued to regard her with love, mesmerized as he gently caressed her cheek and watched in awe as it stirred her with fire, driving him to answer what she'd asked, to speak what he was feeling…

 _Nothing_. He quietly uttered, changing his mind at the last second, deciding that his revelation would be too much, too soon and thus would scare her, which was the last thing he wanted to do. Disappointed, Michonne briefly dropped her eyes, but realized she was relieved by his response. She knew that he was holding back, and she wanted so much for him to confess the emotion she could see in his gaze, but in the same breath, she wanted to remain in this space that they were now in, blissful and free of the complications that would inevitably arise if they admitted what this connection truly meant between them.

 _You hungry?_ She then asked.

 _Starving_. He said then kissed her again, moving to her neck, hotly tasting it, turning her completely on again.

 _I meant for food._ She breathed.

 _I am_. He huskily confirmed, upon stopping his sensual assault to capture her eyes. _What you got to eat?_ He asked with a gentle grin.

 _I'm sorry to say nothing, but…what time is it?_ She suddenly asked. Rick caressed her lips, then finally extract himself from her, causing them both to gasp at the fleeting hotness of the movement. He then leaned over the side of the bed and retrieved his pants, pulling from its pocket his cellphone and activated the desktop that shined brightly in the moonlit room, revealing the time.

 _10:30._ He said.

 _Su's is still open_. Michonne declared as Rick turned to face her with a questioning look. _It's Chinese food._ She smiled at his bewilderment, finding it endearing.

 _You eat Chinese food?_ He joked.

 _Occasionally_. She played along. _I can place an order with Postmates to deliver so we don't have to go out._ She said, then took his mouth, lingeringly before moving to leave the bed _._

 _Where are you going?_ Rick asked as he gently grabbed her and pulled her back to him.

 _To get my iPad so that I can place the order._ She sighed at the feel of his firm chest, heatedly grazing her breast.

 _Can't you just use my phone?_ He quietly posed, not yet ready for her to leave his arms.

 _You don't have the app._ She softly replied. _I won't be long._ She vowed, then kissed him again, long and deep, inciting Rick to groan, then left the bed as he watched her with ardor and love.

* * *

An hour later…

 _Chopsticks? Or fork?_ Michonne asked as they settled in the living room on the floor between the coffee table and the couch, the spread of food they'd ordered before them.

 _A fork. I'm clueless on how to use the sticks._ He admitted with a laugh.

 _It's easy._ She claimed. _You want to open the fortune cookies now or later?_

 _Later._ Rick smiled as he grabbed the packaged wafers from her hand and laid them amongst their boxes of food.

 _Now, chopsticks._ Michonne lightly asserted handing him a pair instead of fork _. Watch and learn._ She then advised as she picked up her chopsticks and proceeded to instruct him on how to hold them between his fingers and thumb while using them to pick up his food. Rick followed along as best he could, sort of getting it right, until seeing that he needed a little hands on help, Michonne stopped demonstrating, and grasped his hand to show him exactly how it should be done. _Here_. She said as she correctly adjusted his hand around the Bamboo sticks, sending a warmth through him.

 _Now try it?_ She gently directed. Rick complied, dipping the sticks down to his food and carefully picking up a modest piece of chicken.

 _Success!_ Michonne exclaimed with delight.

 _And with success comes reward._ Rick proclaimed then extended the occupied chopstick to her mouth. Michonne held his gaze, the smile slightly fading from her lips then sensuously slipped the food from the chopstick and chewed it slowly, savoring its taste. Rick continued to hold her stare, warming her with his amorous eyes, when he suddenly leaned in and tasted her lips, inciting a moan.

 _Ummm._ He uttered against her mouth when he pulled away.

 _Yeah_. Michonne breathed, then took his mouth again hungrily, passionately. _You think you can do it again?_ She softly, ambiguously asked upon slowly ending their kiss.

 _Yeah, I can_. He whispered back, so close to her lips, she could feel the heat of his breath, caressing them, inflaming her wanting, before faintly teasing them with his tongue, causing her to gasp, after which he took her lips again.

 _I meant hold the chopsticks_. Michonne sighed with a smile when he reluctantly drew back.

 _I can do that too_. Rick smirked as he fondled one of her locks, then returned his attention to his carton of food. Michonne watched him with happiness as he dug into his Kung Pao, before she turned her attention to her own meal, delving into her Szechuan Green Beans with Chicken in Black Bean Sauce, the taste melting in her mouth, making her realize how famished she was.

 _This is good_. Rick stated aloud what she was thinking as he devoured his food revealing that he was famished himself.

 _The best Chinese food in the city_. Michonne concurred, watching in amazement as he now used his chopsticks without issue.

 _Speaking of the city, you weren't kidding about this view._ He said, then took a swig of his glass bottle of Coca-Cola as he sat back against the couch and viewed the incredible view of the Buckhead skyline. _You got a great deal on the sub-lease._ He said, remembering how she'd told him about one of the executives at her job making an immediate move to Paris to head up a division there. As a result, she needed to quickly unload her condo. She didn't want to sale it, but didn't want to leave it empty. When she heard that Michonne was looking for a place she'd struck a deal with her to take over part of the lease.

 _I'm sorry to say I haven't had much time to enjoy it._ Michonne stated as she too took in the breathtaking view.

 _Work still just as crazy as it was three days ago?_

 _Pretty much. And it doesn't look to be calming down._

 _Is that a good thing?_

 _I don't know._ Michonne answered after finishing another mouthful of chicken and beans _. I'm enjoying the new things I'm learning. I'm getting exposure to things I normally wouldn't. But the company culture and direction is changing so much and not necessarily in the way I would've liked to see things go._ She spoke her thoughts, feeling a little tense and concerned about everything at once. _How about you?_ She said, changing the subject to him, not wanting to ruin her mood with talk of all the chaos at her job right now. _Tell me about this summit._

 _What do you want to know?_ He asked after taking another gulp of his soda.

 _What's it about? New laws and enforcement procedures?_

 _Something like that_. He vaguely replied, not really wanting to get into the details of the summit due to his mind being focused on something more important he needed to address. _Look, I'm sorry..._

 _For what?_ Michonne questioned with confusion and surprise as she abandoned another bite of her food and returned her eyes to him.

 _For showing up like this, before the agreed upon time._ He clarified.

 _I could've turned you away._ She softly countered. _But I didn't._

 _True_. Rick agreed. _But I want you to know…_ He began, then stopped mid-sentence, thinking, trying to find the right words to express what he wanted to say.

 _That you didn't come all this way to seduce me?_ She quietly asserted, causing Rick to brandish a smile that bordered on a blush, which in turn filled Michonne with mirth. _Is that Rick Grimes, tough lawman blushing?_ She lightly teased, Rick's smile melded into a small laugh as he shook his head, before turning serious finally finding the words to state his thoughts.

 _I want you to know that I respect you._ He stated with gentle conviction as he held her gaze. _I respect what you say and in no way was my intention to…change our agreement._

 _I know._ Michonne replied in the same gentle tone.

 _Now, that the timing has changed…what's next?_ Rick then cautiously asked.

 _I don't know. There's still a lot to consider._ She answered as she refocused her attention on her food, now aimlessly stirring it in the box.

 _Like my divorce?_ Rick pointed out.

 _As much as I'm happy with what's happened, I didn't want it to happen like this_. Michonne honestly, carefully confessed, looking his way again, just as he dropped his eyes. _I wanted us both to be free and clear before we went… here._

 _We are free and clear._ Rick countered, returning his eyes to hers.

 _You're not._ She gently disputed.

 _I'm still married, yes. But only on paper._

 _I'd rather you not be married at all._

 _Me too._ Rick agreed _. But that will soon change._

 _How soon?_

 _By the end of the week. If Lori hasn't signed the papers by the time I return to Palmer I plan to have my lawyer..._

 _I don't need details_. Michonne kindly interjected, upon learning what some part of her already knew, but she had to hear him verbalize. _I just need it to be over, and soon._ She seriously added.

 _It will be_. He vowed, his eyes a sea of truth and unwavering, when he then tentatively brushed her lips with his, chastely tasting her. Michonne expressed her desire for more, deepening the kiss, infusing it with hunger, compelling him to suddenly pull back, to cease what was happening, before it escalated to a point of no return. _I should go._ He whispered, his eyes caste down, his breath heavy, his heart wanting so much to taste her once more, to stay.

 _What? Why?_ Michonne breathlessly question.

 _Maybe we shouldn't continue...until my divorce is final._ Rick suggested with difficulty.

 _Is that what you want?_ She asked, drawing his eyes back to hers.

 _No._ He replied without delay _. But I want you to be comfortable with me, with us._

 _Rick if I was uncomfortable I'd tell you._ Michonne declared. _Stay._ She quietly beseeched as she slipped her hand over his thigh and gently gripped it, instantly arousing him.

 _You sure?_ He sighed, his fever growing.

 _I am._ She assured as she touched his cheek, stroking the light stubble on his face, driving Rick to grab her hand and bring her palm to his mouth, hotly tasting it. Michonne fervidly gasped at the fierce flame ignited by his simple caress when he deserted her hand and pulled her to him, eagerly capturing her mouth, wantonly slipping her his tongue as she buried her hands in his hair, matching his ardor, while drawing him atop her form.


	14. The Morning After

**I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!**

 **Per several requests, I added quotation marks to the dialogue. I hadn't previously done this because in the past FF will sometimes load the quotation marks as errors. Anyway, they are loading fine today. Hopefully that'll continue.**

 **Thanks again to everyone for reading and responding!**

 **Chapter Fourteen**

The sound of a country western tune blared into the quiet, instantly wakening Rick and causing Michonne to groan at the horrid music that was disrupting her peaceful sleep. Rick retrieved his phone from the nightstand on his side of the bed, turned it off and returned to the warmth that was Michonne, nestling his face in the side of her neck, wrapping his arm around her.

" _What time is it?"_ She sleepily asked, even as the feel of him, his gentleness and hardness, titillated her senses, arousing her body.

" _5:30."_ He tiredly sighed. " _I have to be at the World Congress Center by 7:00."_ He said, then hotly kissed her ear, tightening his arm around her, causing her to languidly moan. He then slipped a hand over her nude breast, lightly brushing his thumb over its tip, before his mouth found her shoulder gently biting it with hunger. Michonne heatedly gasped, just as he turned her to face him, his plan to capture her lips, but she stopped him, surprising him by pulling away to turn her attention to something in her nightstand drawer.

" _Really?"_ Rick scoffed in disbelief, when Michonne returned her attention his way and handed him an Altoids.

" _Yes."_ She confirmed, then popped a mint in her own mouth.

" _You're a complete mood killer_." He lightly accused, then devoured the mint.

" _You think so?_ " She sexily asked, then kissed the base of his neck, faintly licking it, then gently biting, while slipping her hands between his thighs, finding his shaft throbbing and firm, ready for the condom she skillfully slipped on it. Rick groaned as she delicately stroked his nads, causing him to nearly choke on the mint he was finishing. Intrigued by her discovery and the fervor he showed, Michonne continued her rapturous caress, stroking him there again, before wrapping her hand around his shaft. She gently groped his length and kissed him with searing passion as she sensuously kneaded his shaft, varying the speed of her caress, the position of her fingers, to rouse him with agonizing pleasure. Rick brutally pant, then held her mouth to his, matching her impassion, when she sensuously moved her hand to his tip, taunting his head, causing him to thrash with harsh abandonment, until he passionately came in a powerful shutter, loudly groaning at the intense ecstasy that was rushing his body. Breathlessly and weak, Rick lay there trembling, his limbs tingling at the lingering sparks of his release as Michonne still gently stroked him and tenderly teased his lips. Gradually, Rick's languidness melded into fire, driving him to take full possession of her mouth, to wantonly devour her as he shifted her on her back.

" _You don't have time."_ Michonne sighed in yearning, knowing that even if he showered there, he still needed to return to his hotel and change, which left no time for them to make love.

" _This won't take long_." He contended, his tone passionate and deep, stoking the flames within her. Rick then tasted her mouth once more, plundering it with hunger before he abandoned it for her chin and neck. Fiercely kissing and gently nipping until he reached her chest, where he briefly tended to each peak, leaving them rigid with arousal, causing her to helplessly writhe beneath him. He then descended further, moving over her flat tummy, nuzzling it with fervor before arriving at her center. Michonne could feel his warm breath, flowing over her, quickening the air in her lungs, elevating her anticipation and desire, when he did the unexpected, lifting her leg over his shoulder and steamily brushed her inner thigh with his mouth.

" _Rick."_ Michonne pled with yearning angst and he responded with a hint of delay, slowly, torturously exploring an ardent path to where she needed him to be, before he gave her what she so desperately wanted, lowering his mouth to her center. Michonne released an anguished cry as he hotly kissed and nursed her nub, then intermittently teased her with his tongue, darting it in and out of her cove. " _Rick!"_ She gasped once more, gently clutching a fistful of his hair, when he added two fingers to his flaming caress, driving her over the edge where she found herself floating, riding a wave of euphoria, her body completely pliant, until moments later she came down, softly crashing into a contented tremble. Rick chastely kissed the crux between her thighs, then began to retrace his scorching path, but stopped when he reached, her upper pelvis, right below her waistline…

" _What's this?"_ He huskily asked, smiling, then kissed the work of art that lay right where her pantyline would be.

" _My attempt at rebellion."_ She peacefully sighed.

" _A lily and butterfly near your most intimate place is rebellion?"_ He lightly teased, then nuzzled it once more, this time adding his tongue.

" _Yes."_ Michonne breathed. " _I wasn't brave enough to put it where my mom would see it."_ She faintly confessed, causing Rick to laugh.

" _Did she ever find out?"_

" _Yeah about 6 months later, at our family reunion. She'd_ pissed me…" Michonne began to say, but her words faded into a moan when Rick kissed her there again, but this time going a bit lower, subtly teasing her center.

" _She pissed you off…"_ Rick huskily repeated what she'd said, urging her to complete the story.

" _Yes."_ Michonne sighed. " _About something I can't remember, but it resulted in me going to the pool wearing a two- piece to ensure it'd be seen."_

" _So you returned the favor."_ Rick laughed, knowing what Michonne had told him about her mom, that the woman was livid upon seeing the tattoo on her daughter.

" _I did."_ She admitted with near incoherence, just as Rick hotly Frenched the etching again, sucking it gently, causing Michonne to keen his name and lightly buck beneath him, before he commenced a fiery path, over her navel, up her stomach and over her breast, stopping a moment to appreciate them. After which, he explored her neck, ravishing it with love, then drifting to her mouth as he came to lay between her legs. The air swiftly escaped Michonne's lungs, her breath choppy and her desire again fervent. Rick gazed into her eyes, his stare a smoldering blue, once more emanating that profound and intense tenderness that had surfaced the previous night, again touching her deep.

" _You better go."_ She whispered with heat, suggesting the last thing she wanted him to do. " _You don't want to be late."_

" _Trying to get rid of me?_ " He softly replied, forgoing those three words that were so close to flowing from his heart.

" _Maybe."_ She quietly uttered in jest, now thinking how exhilarated, yet tired she felt. How it had been a wonderfully long night that she didn't want to end, but she had to get more sleep. Otherwise she'd be dead on her feet in a few hours a work.

" _Whatever you want."_ Rick smirked, then kissed her with passion, stirring them to a groan, driving him to bury his hands in her dreads to anchor her mouth to his, making love to it, then gradually slowing down. Rick held her eyes, silently expressing his love, moving her soul as he tenderly brushed her lips with his, before he then reluctantly left the bed, making his way to the shower as Michonne looked on with contented awe and warmth.

* * *

The Law Enforcement Summit adjourned for a mid-morning break, allowing attendees to go to the restroom, network or just stretch their legs. Rick finished up a conversation with a Major with the Atlanta Police Department (APD), whom he'd connected with about the topic of this particular forum "engaging the mentally ill". He and the man had continued discussing the topic after the session was over, but had also talked general policing, potential work opportunities within APD and briefly their children before exchanging business cards as they wrapped up the conversation. As soon as the Major walked away, Rick immediately pulled out his phone and saw that he had a couple of texts, one from Carl letting him know he'd arrived at school, and the other from Michonne which she'd sent an hour earlier.

 _~I finally made it to work. ~_

 _~ We cannot have a repeat of last night tonight. ~_ Her text said, causing him to smile. _~I'm exhausted. ~_

 _~ You want me to spend the night again tonight? ~_ He text back, his smile growing.

 _~ You completely missed the point. :/ smirk ~_ Michonne text back, surprising him with her immediate response.

~ _Did…~_ He began to type when he was stopped by Morgan Jones walking up.

" _Do I have to ask where you disappeared to last night?"_ His friend asked. " _I'd bet my next paycheck it has something to do with that text you smiling about."_ He immediately deduced. " _I thought you were taking your friend to dinner and that was it."_

" _Does it matter?"_

" _Yeah Chief Deputy Bratton came by last night wanting us to go out for a drink to discuss training the department on these new protocols. I told him you were having dinner with a friend. But then he came by this morning and wanted us all to go to breakfast together. That time I had to lie and say you were out for a run and that you'd meet us here after the first session."_

" _I'm sorry I put you in that position."_ Rick apologized. " _Thanks for covering me."_

" _It's not a problem. Just next time plan your rendezvous a little better."_ Morgan lightly advised, which caused Rick to smile. " _So, how was it?"_ Morgan then asked out the blue, surprising Rick _. "It must've went well with you being gone all night."_

" _Man you know I don't do that."_ Rick replied as they now walked the vast exhibit hall, occasionally stopping to view the latest in policing technology and weapons.

" _I wasn't asking for details about what went down. I can pretty much guess that."_ Morgan countered. " _But what does it all mean? You've been telling me about this woman for weeks."_ He said, referring to how he and Rick had discussed Michonne off and on, he, being one of many who heard about Rick's 4th of July weekend with her and had in turn asked his friend about her. Rick hadn't revealed much about their relationship, but enough for Morgan to infer that Michonne was very special to him. " _It's obvious that you're smitten."_ He added.

" _Smitten?"_ Rick scoffed, giving his friend a look as they stopped to view the latest in police body armor.

" _Yeah smitten"._ Morgan laughed. " _No man that feels "inspired and captivated" by a woman isn't anything less."_ He said, referring to what Rick had said about her before.

" _You're right."_ Rick conceded with a small smile, not bothering to argue a denial, now recalling their lovemaking, how incredible it had been, how connected he now felt to her, feeling completely happy and at peace, with admitting to himself that he was deeply in love with her. " _It may seem too soon, hell it's only been three months of…virtual dating - phone calls, Skyping, texting, but she got me man, body and soul."_ He openly stated what he hadn't confessed to anyone, not even Darryl who knew all about his relationship with Michonne.

" _There's no timeline on falling in love."_ His friend stated in a supportive tone. " _I was in love with Jenny after our third date and asked her to marry me a month later."_

" _Yeah well we won't be moving that fast, with there still being some…issues to resolve."_ He said.

" _Lori still hasn't signed the papers?"_

" _No, but I think she's close."_

" _For your sake I hope she does it soon."_ Morgan sighed as they now made their way back towards the main event hall.

" _What does that mean?"_ Rick curiously asked.

" _It's no secret that you and Shane had a strong disagreement, and as a result he's made no secret of his resentment towards you."_

" _That's to be expected considering our argument_." Rick stated with little worry.

" _This goes beyond that."_ Morgan said, his tone ominous. " _You know I've always thought Shane envied you."_

" _Yeah."_ Rick acknowledged, recalling how Morgan had expressed his distrust of Shane's intention towards him for many years.

" _Well now this situation with Lori has turned that envy into something else…he blames you for standing in the way of what he could have with her."_ His friend clarified, when Rick's questioning silence urged him to go on.

" _I'm not standing in the way of anything."_ Rick strongly replied. " _If he wants Lori, she's all his if she'll have him."_

" _That's the point, she won't have him as long as you're around."_ Morgan worriedly explained.

" _I'll always be around. We have a son together."_

" _Exactly."_ His friend knowingly replied the concern seeming to deepen in his tone.

" _Did you hear something else? Did he say something?"_ Rick asked, his own concern growing at his friend's disquiet, but before Morgan could answer they saw Bratton approaching, his stride purposeful, which meant he wanted to discuss something important. " _Just be careful man."_ His friend managed to get out before they were joined by their boss. _"And watch your back."_ He warned.

* * *

" _Hey!"_ Michonne exclaimed, greeting Sasha with a hug.

" _Hey!"_ Sasha said as she returned the embrace. _"You made it. I was afraid work would cause you to cancel again."_

" _I know right. I'm sorry about the cancellations."_ Michonne replied as they both took a seat at the table, opposite from each other.

" _No need to apologize."_ Sasha stated as she adjusted her chair. " _You know I know how work can get."_

" _How's life and work for you? How are Bob and the kids?"_

" _Everything is good. You know Bob started a new job with another ambulatory service."_

" _Yeah, I remember you telling me. How's he liking it?"_ Michonne asked as they now scanned their menus.

" _It's better than the last one he was with, but his hours are all over the place. He said they're supposed to get better after the New Year though."_ Her friend answered. " _Which I hope is true, because with his schedule being so unpredictable, it's difficult to stay consistent with who's taking the kids to daycare and school and whose picking them up from their after school activities."_

" _What's supposed to change after the New Year?"_ Michonne asked.

" _The Company is supposed to be fully staffed by then. Therefore, his schedule will be more predictable."_

" _Well let me know if I can do anything to help."_

" _Chonne, when are you gone have time to help?"_ Sasha asked. " _Between the craziness you're dealing with at work and that Mr. Grimes, you barely have time to volunteer and go to the gym, much less take kids to soccer practice and drop them off at daycare."_

" _I am busy, but if you need me, I'm here."_ She offered again with sincerity.

" _Thank you, but no._ " Sasha kindly rejected. " _Bob and I got it."_

" _Alright_. "Michonne accepted her friend's response and returned her eyes to the menu, trying to decide if she wanted the Kale Caesar Salad with Blackened Chicken or Flounder Sandwich, really just wanting to sleep. She thought, recalling the amazing night and morning she'd had with Rick. It was great. He was great. She mused in happiness and heat. But he was insatiable, which made for a tiring morning after.

" _I know that work is busy for you."_ Sasha asserted, disrupting Michonne's thoughts. " _But what about Mr. Grimes? How are things on that front?"_

Michonne briefly lifted her eyes from the menu to her friend, then shyly dropped them down.

" _Oh shit! Did something happen since we last spoke?"_ Sasha instantly, excitedly deduced. For a moment Michonne didn't speak, leaving her friend in suspense as she tried to decide how best to answer such a loaded question, when she decided that the simplest response was the best…

" _He's here."_ Michonne revealed, even as she remained focused on her menu, trying to remain calm, to not let the joy she felt over take her.

" _Wait, you mean here in Atlanta?!"_ Sasha questioned in shock, surprising Michonne when she snatched the menu from her hand, so that she could force Michonne's attention to her.

" _Yes."_ She confirmed, now unable to keep the smile in her heart, off her face as she held out her hand, silently asking for the menu back.

" _What is he doing here?_ " Sasha complied, returning the menu to her hand. _"Did he just pull a pop in? And how could you not tell me this as soon as we sat down?!"_

" _Sort of_. _And I was waiting for you to ask._ " Michonne calmly replied to two of the three questions.

" _You know that's bullshit right?"_ Her friend scoffed at the answer she gave to the third question.

" _But it's my bullshit."_ Michonne playfully retorted.

" _Girl whatever."_ Sasha said, giving her a side eye that was comical in its fakeness. _"So what does 'sort of' mean?"_ She then persisted. _"What is he doing here?"_ She before Michonne could respond the waiter came up and took their orders.

" _He's here for a law enforcement summit."_ Michonne replied after the waiter walked away. " _And while he's here, he thought he'd come and see me."_

" _How long is he here?"_

" _Until Saturday."_

" _So what happened when he showed up? What did you say? What did ya'll d…Oh my God, you slept with him?!"_ Sasha ceased her questions, making the deduction upon seeing the expression that was already on Michonne's face.

" _I didn't intend to."_ Michonne casually revealed. _"We were supposed to have dinner…"_

" _Well obviously that didn't happen."_ Sasha exclaimed with a laugh. " _Well, how was it?!"_

Michonne shook her head, and again dropped her eyes, now beaming and flushed as she again recalled every minute of her morning and night with Rick.

" _He rocked it?"_ Sasha guessed. " _Oh wow, he homicide it?!"_ She proclaimed upon successfully reading her stance.

" _Homicide it? What are you 21?"_ Michonne mocked her friend, laughing.

" _You're deflecting."_ Her friend lightly replied. _"He must've rocked it hard."_

" _Ok stop."_

" _Alright. But I still want details."_

" _You know I never give details."_

" _Yeah well I think I deserve details just this once."_ Sasha contended. " _This is a white guy from the country and you're telling me he rocked it out, I want to know how."_

" _I haven't said anything. You said that."_

" _Chonne. It's written all over your face."_

" _Sorry but you ain't getting details."_ Michonne lightly replied, but meant every word, just as their drinks arrived.

" _You know you ain't fooling nobody."_ Sasha playfully countered. _"You show up here looking tired, but glowing like the North Star and happy as a child on Christmas Day._ _I know he laid it down."_ She said, causing Michonne to scoff in embarrassment. " _But since_ _you won't give me details on your night together…"_

" _And morning."_ Michonne couldn't help but to correct.

" _He spent the night?" Her friend exclaimed with shock._

" _He did." Michonne replied, now blushing again._

" _Your place or a hotel?"_

" _My place."_

" _Oh my God."_

" _That's it. That's all I'm giving you."_ Michonne then declared.

" _You cannot stop there!"_ Sasha fiercely protested. _"Come on Chonne."_ Her friend pushed, but she remained firm, saying not another word as promised. _"Argh_." Sasha then scoffed in frustration when she saw her cause was lost. _"Well, since that's all I'm getting about your night and morning with Mr. Grimes, why don't you tell me what's next? Are ya'll in like, in love? Seriously dating? Just having a good time? What?"_

" _It's too soon for love."_ Michonne denied, even as Sasha's words _'in love'_ seemed to spur a light within her soul, spreading through her, awakening a yearning and tenderness for Rick that was deeper than she'd felt before, while reminding her of the profound emotion she saw in his eyes that morning and the previous night. _"I like him a lot though."_ She continued to a skeptical Sasha, who thought Michonne's feelings were deeper than what she was admitting. _"And I care about him very much…"_

" _But…"_

" _His divorce isn't final."_ Michonne reminded her friend, confessing her concern, which caused her happiness to somewhat abate. " _I would rather it be done, but it isn't."_ She said. " _He believes his Ex will sign the papers this week."_

" _You don't think she will?"_

" _I don't know. She's been stalling the divorce for months."_

" _Why?"_

" _She wants him back; I guess? Their kid? Who knows."_ Michonne sighed, remembering some of the delay tactics Rick had told her his Ex had pulled.

" _What if she doesn't sign the papers?"_ Sasha asked, after taking a sip of her iced tea.

" _He has a plan."_

" _And what's that?"_ Her friend curiously asked.

" _I didn't get details."_ Michonne replied as she stirred the straw in her tea. " _I don't want details. I just want it done."_

" _So you're willing to wait for him?"_ Sasha asked with surprise.

" _I am."_ Michonne confirmed and her friend's expression in turn became concerned.

" _What if takes another three months or a year for his Ex to let go? Are you willing to wait that long?"_ Michonne didn't answer right away, for she was weighing the question. She really didn't want to think about that potential outcome. Rick's ex, stalling the divorce for another three months or a year. Perhaps if they hadn't made love, she'd be willing to continue their "friendship" while things took the extra months to get sorted out. However, now that things had changed, had moved from simply close acquaintances to lovers, they couldn't just go back to being friends if his divorce lingered longer than expected.

" _Chonne?"_ Michonne heard Sasha call, pulling her from her thoughts.

" _No. I wouldn't wait."_ She answered her friend, her heart paining at the thought.

" _Are you sure you're ready to walk away if this doesn't play out the way you want?_ " Her friend seriously asked upon seeing the deep emotion in Michonne's eyes.

" _I wouldn't want to, but I'm ready to. I have to be_." She said looking her friend in the eyes.

" _Well hopefully it won't come to that."_ Sasha asserted, with a quiet sigh, not knowing whether to be concerned or relieved.

" _You mean that? You want this to work?"_ Michonne asked, thinking of their mutual friend Angela's fierce disagreement with her choice to break up with Mike and take up with a man who was not yet divorced and what she deemed as beneath her.

" _I want you to be happy Chonne, and this Rick seems to do that."_ Sasha sincerely replied. _"I'll admit though, I don't like the fact that his divorce isn't final, but it doesn't sound like he's bullshitting you about getting it completed…_ _But, be careful."_ She then warned. " _I know you are careful, but I also know you have strong feelings for this guy."_ She said. " _I don't want to see you hurt."_

" _I know."_ Michonne shook her head in acknowledgment, taking her friend's words to heart. _"And I am."_


	15. Ray's in the City

**Thanks everyone for the continued support!**

 **Chapter Fifteen**

It had been an amazing two days Rick and Michonne had spent together. They'd fell right into coupledom, interacting as if they'd been dating for ages. Rick had continued to stay each night at her condo, even bringing his bag as if he was moving in. During the day they'd go their separate ways, with Michonne going at the Marketing agency and Rick to the Law Enforcement Summit. When they had time, they continued to text throughout the day as they would've if they were still hundreds of miles apart, then returning "home," to Michonne's condo, in the evening to discuss their days, unwind with dinner, mindless and meaningful chatter before making love. It had been a wonderful time which they'd decided to end with something special since that night was the last that Rick would be in town. Michonne had planned to cook him a homemade meal since they'd done takeout the entire time he'd been there. However, Rick had reminded her that he'd yet to take her to dinner, something he'd wanted to do since he arrived. Michonne had accepted his request. Thus he'd picked her up from work, and they'd driven downtown to Ray's in the City for dinner.

" _How does it feel?"_ Rick asked after managing to convince her to do the unthinkable, to sit on the same side of the booth as him. She'd seen couples do it before and always thought that it was a bit much. _'You mean you can't spend an hour or two sitting a feet or two across from each other? You're so in love that you've got to share the same space while you're eating?_ ' She'd muse, rolling her eyes within, but somehow Rick had convinced her to try it, to do what she'd internally mocked others for, saying it would be nice being so close during dinner and if it wasn't, she could always move to the other side.

" _Still a little strange, but nice."_ She admitted, a hint of uncertainty in her voice, still wondering how she ever let him talk her into this? But she knew how, her heart, which she still fought to admit so soon after knowing him, had been captivated by Rick Grimes.

" _Well then let me try and make you more comfortable"_. Rick softly replied, then tenderly kissed her lips, making her feel breathless and shy. " _What? Too much?"_ He whispered against her mouth as she coyly pulled away.

" _A little."_ She uttered as she briefly looked down.

" _You know this is what sitting on the same side of the booth means."_ He smiled as he gazed at her with love, completely charmed by her blushful response.

" _What kissing and touching the whole night?"_ She feigned shock, returning her eyes to him.

" _Umm Hm._ " He said then tasted her lips once more, skillfully slipping her his tongue, from her heart to her core, filling her with a scorching warmth.

" _I can't do this."_ She breathlessly sighed as she moved to scoot to the other side of the booth, but Rick stopped her, gently grabbing her hand.

" _Why not?"_ He huskily asked.

" _Because touching me and slipping me your tongue is too much."_ She honestly, weakly replied. " _We're not teenagers at the drive in."_ She quietly continued. _"We're adults in a very nice restaurant."_

" _Am I turning you on?"_ He suddenly questioned, his voice husky and deep, disarming her and heightening the fervor growing within.

" _You are."_ She didn't deny, wanting to kiss him again, but her acute awareness of them being in a restaurant stopped her.

 _Should we leave?_

" _No."_ She gently rejected _. "The Lobster Bisque is delicious here, and I'm not passing it up."_ She lightly added, then forced her eyes back to the menu, even as she was tempted by his heated idea.

" _We can get it to go."_ Rick quietly posed as he caressed a lock of her hair and lovingly pushed it behind her back.

" _I want to eat it here."_ She uttered in the same quiet tone, returning her eyes to him.

" _You sure?"_ He challenged, then took her lips again, tentatively teasing them with hotness.

" _Yes."_ She sighed and again succumb to the closeness of his mouth, tasting it once more, before willing herself to pull away.

" _So what's good here besides the Lobster Bisque."_ Rick then asked, after finally taking a look at the menu, while still struggling with the desire their kisses had stirred. Welcoming the much needed distraction that would keep her mind off of forgoing dinner for making love, Michonne listed various seafood dishes on the menu that were her personal favorites, with Rick settling on the Georgia Mountain Trout and Heineken to drink. Michonne had gone with the Lobster Bisque as a starter, and Springer Mountain Farms Chicken for the main course with a glass of red wine. She and Rick also shared a huge side of Grilled Jumbo Asparagus and Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes. As expected, the food had been outstanding and the conversation good. They'd talked Halloween. Michonne had told Rick about a party to which she'd been invited. She planned to go but had not decided on the character she would play. Rick had revealed that he would be taking Carl trick or treating and mentioned how he was going to enjoy it while he could, due to his son quickly getting to the age where he was no longer interested in participating in that specific activity that was associated with the holiday.

" _He's excited about his costume though."_ Rick said.

" _Has he decided what he's going to be?"_

" _Not yet."_ He replied, after taking a swig of his beer then cutting another piece of his trout. _"He loves comics as much as you, but he's tired of doing the Superhero. So he wants to do something a little different this year."_ He explained. _"He's trying to decide between Wolverine and Hawkeye."_

" _Ah, the X-men or the Avengers."_ Michonne declared. _"I think the Avengers are more hip right now."_

" _Maybe they are, but I told him Wolverine seemed more like Halloween to me than Hawkeye."_

" _It is the more creative costume with the claws and the facial hair. Though I can't imagine a 10 year-old successfully achieving that look."_ She lightly pointed out.

" _We looked at a yellow and blue Wolverine costume at Walmart."_

" _Yellow and Blue?"_ Michonne laughed.

" _That's what Carl said when he saw it."_ Rick chuckled. _"It was more like a superhero costume than the Wolverine we see in the movies."_

" _It sounds terrible."_ Michonne said, unable to stay her continuous amusement.

" _It was."_ Rick admitted. _"Carl certainly wasn't happy with it."_

" _I'm sure."_

" _I can't wait for you to meet him."_ He said, giving her serious eyes, sobering the moment. _"He's a great kid, and…I think you'll get along well."_

" _You think?"_ Michonne questioned with a mix of earnest and concern. _"Cause I should remind you that… kids, aren't my strong suit."_ She confessed, thinking that she knew this was coming, that one day she'd have to meet Rick's son. Though she knew it wasn't happening today or even next week, when it did happen she didn't know if she'd be ready.

" _Do you want them to be?"_ Rick asked, confusing Michonne. _"Do you want kids?"_ He clarified, feeling a bit anxious about his query and her potential response. Michonne pondered his question. Though they'd talked about his son many times and even kids in general the question had never come up in this way. She always said she wanted kids someday and a part of her did, but a much bigger part of her was happy with what she had now. She thoroughly enjoyed the freedom she was allowed to experience with her work and personal life due to not having children to tie her down. She enjoyed being able to travel and go out at her leisure, but if she wanted a future with Rick, would her being on the fence about kids be a deal breaker for them? Michonne pushed the thought aside realizing that she was getting way ahead of herself. She'd just started a relationship with Rick and he wasn't even divorced. A future involving a life together and kids was a long way off, if it even happened.

" _Maybe one day, when my life is more settled and there's less demand from the job."_ She honestly answered then took a sip of wine to calm her nerves, her thoughts, while Rick struggled with the unease he felt at her answer.

" _I've found that life never gets more settled, only more chaotic with time."_ He then stated, watching her as she swallowed more wine.

" _Well that's encouraging."_ Michonne sarcastically replied as she set her wine glass down and returned her attention to her food.

" _It's good chaos, especially for those who can share it with someone they love."_ He softly uttered as he gently touched her knee, sending a heated wave through her, drawing her eyes back to him.

" _Do you want more kids?"_ She silently questioned as she held his gaze, completely bound by the tenderness she saw there.

" _I do."_ He stated without hesitation.

" _How many?_ " She asked upon forcing her eyes back to her plate, specifically on chopping up more asparagus to eat.

" _Hmm, maybe seven, eight more."_ Rick replied, feigning sincerity, then laughed at the horrified look Michonne flashed him. His hilarity lightened the mood causing mirth to be peppered throughout Michonne's scolding of him, which quickly led to a brief discussion about politics and the upcoming election when she mentioned him needing government assistance to support that many kids. Rick had gone on to mention that the election may result in him getting a new boss. His current boss, the Sheriff of King County, had an opponent in the election. The opposing candidate seemed to be more progressive than the current Sheriff and may actually be good for the County. He'd said and from there the conversation had drifted to the Law Enforcement Summit which they hadn't talked much about, with Rick telling her about the forum they'd had that day with some local community leaders and activists.

" _What was that like?"_ Michonne asked, abandoning the mashed potatoes to give him her full attention.

" _Interesting… and tough."_ He said as he recalled the many things discussed. _"The issues are…complicated, which means it's going to take quite a bit of effort and time to get things where they need to be."_

" _That's not surprising considering how long the racism and brutality has been going on. It's ingrained in our culture, something that's not driven by the law but what's in people's heart. How can you change that?"_ She questioned aloud.

" _You can't."_ Rick sadly stated, what she already knew. _"All you can do is educate and root out those cops that are corrupt and carry hate as best you can."_

" _Yeah."_ Michonne somberly replied as she resumed scooping more potatoes onto her plate. _"What's your experience been like?"_ She then asked. _"Any situations where you acted too quickly or not quickly enough?"_

Rick had replied that he'd acted too quickly once, when he was a rookie. He'd been involved in a high speed chase and when he'd caught up with the guy his adrenalin and anger was on full throttle. As a result, he was too rough with the suspect. He hadn't physically assaulted him, but he'd went a bit overboard when getting him out the car and wrestling him to the ground. _"Race wasn't even in play. It never is for me."_ He revealed. _"In fact, this suspect wasn't even a minority."_ He'd said. _"It was adrenalin, anger and a little bit of fear. Thankfully I didn't shoot the guy but I could've which would've made me no better than some of the asshole cops we see today shooting suspects in the back and brutalizing them."_

" _So what happened after that? Were you allowed to continue patrolling?"_ Michonne asked.

" _Surprisingly no. The Sheriff at the time put me on desk duty for three weeks and after that I had to ride with a veteran deputy for six months, but I think that was only because the suspect was the Mayor's son."_ He said. _"At the time, I was upset by the regression, but I'm glad it happened. The deputy I was assigned to was a good man, a good cop and I learned a lot of things from him."_

" _Have you ever considered doing something else?"_

" _I thought about it after Carl was born."_ He admitted, after nearly gulping down the rest of his Heineken. _"But there weren't many options in Palmer that provided a good living except, policing, teaching or working at the local cotton mill. My skill was in policing. Plus, I enjoyed it. So I stuck with it. Does it bother you? Me being an officer of the law?"_ He asked what he hadn't before, looking her way.

" _I can't say that it doesn't bother me that you put your life at risk everyday."_ Michonne conceded. _"And now even more so with a lot of the growing resentment towards the police, but…you're well aware of those risks and you still find fulfillment in the work you do. At the end of the day that's all that matters."_

Rick gave her a gentle smile as relief fueled the tenderness for her that deepened in his heart. He then leaned over and kissed her lips, sweetly, lovingly, driving her to rest her hand on his cheek to heighten his contentment when the waiter cleared his throat then asked if they wanted to see a dessert menu. Rick said had said 'yes' and moments later the waiter returned leaving them with a dessert menu to review.

" _I don't think I have much room for dessert."_ Michonne sighed.

" _We can share one if you want. Or take it with us and eat it later."_ Rick suggested, then took her lips again, hotly, hungrily, making her feel fiery, yet shy.

" _You know I've been watching you all night, wondering if it was really you, but I thought surely it wasn't."_ They suddenly heard from a voice that Michonne knew well, interrupting the moment, causing her to immediately pull away from Rick to exclaim his name in shock _"Mike!"_

" _I thought surely my ex who just broke our engagement three weeks ago would not be this intertwined with another man so soon."_ He harshly stated. _"But I guess I was wrong."_

" _Mike…"_

" _Don't!"_ He nearly yelled, almost causing a scene. _"I don't want to hear anymore of your bullshit."_ He said, then stormed out the restaurant with Michonne not stopping for a moment to think, leaving the table, leaving Rick to follow him.

* * *

" _Mike wait!"_ Michonne exclaimed as she caught up to him just as the light turned red, stopping him from crossing Peachtree Street.

" _What do you want?!"_ He angrily asked. _"To explain what I just saw in there?!"_

" _I don't owe you an explanation for that."_ She strongly replied, driving him to scoff in frustration. _"I want to know how you've been. I left you a couple of messages"_ She said. _"I've been concerned…We haven't talked since…your father's funeral."_

" _Oh my father's funeral."_ He harshly laughed. _"Where you told me you didn't love me, but swore to me our breakup had nothing to do with you fucking someone else."_ He retorted. _"I guess that was a lie, considering what I just saw."_

" _I'm not doing this."_ She said, then turned to go, but Mike grabbed her arm, stopping her.

" _You came out here to talk, to see how I am. So let's talk."_ He demanded.

" _Let me go."_ Michonne stated with calm indignation and Mike immediately complied.

" _So when did you meet? Did you get that close over the past three weeks? Since my father's funeral."_ Mike fiercely questioned as she moved to walk away, compelling her to stop once more, to give him what he wanted, her attention. _"That's what I thought."_ He said when she didn't answer as he walked up to her, closing the short distance between them. _"How long have you known him Chonne? Five years, Six?"_ He pressed with ire, his voice now lower and thus no longer drawing eyes to them. _"Because we were together four years and it took a minute for you to let me in, and even after all that time, I still wasn't able to get to you the way I see this guy has."_ He said his tone etched with hurt, stirring Michonne with sorrow and guilt.

" _Mike I…"_

" _Why are you even out here?"_ He then interrupted, his hurt quickly returning to severe aggravation. _"Leaving your new man to check on me? Won't he be angry? I know I would be."_

" _You know why I'm here."_ Michonne argued with concern. _"Because I care about you…"_

" _Don't give me that bullshit Chonne. You're here because of your conscience."_ Mike accused. _"Well let me clear it for you. I'm fine. I don't need your pity or want to hear more of your lies. So just go back to your white boy and leave me the fuck alone."_ He screamed with aggrieved fury, then crossed the street, dangerously against the light, running away from a worried and guilt-ridden Michonne.


	16. The Clearing

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding.**

 **Trina-D – Glad you "enjoyed" the food.** **Ray's really does have a great menu. Almost everything is good.**

 **Chapter Sixteen**

Rick awakened from his slumber to the faint light of the sun bathing the horizon with red and yellow, providing a lovely view of the slowly illuminating Buckhead skyline. He lay there a moment, looking at the empty space next to him, feeling disappointed that he was alone, that Michonne was already up and hadn't wakened him. This was about what had happened the night before. He mused, turning on his back to view the ceiling. When she'd finished her discussion with Mike and turned to return to the restaurant she'd been shocked to see him walking out with her coat. He knew that the dinner was over the minute she'd ran after Mike, that the greatness that had been their evening was ending there. So he'd asked for the check, then left cash on the table for their meal and a hefty tip for the waiter. He not only left the restaurant because their dinner was obviously over, but he wanted to make sure she was okay. Mike had been enraged when he'd seen him and Michonne together and Rick wanted to make sure the man didn't step over line, but everything had been fine. By time he arrived outside the man was crossing against the light leaving Michonne on the side walk.

She'd walked up to him, her eyes a mixture of sorrow and guilt and immediately apologized for leaving him that way. He knew why she'd gone after him. She was worried. She was curious about his wellbeing and worst of all she still felt guilty about their breakup, but he'd not said a word, but just helped her slip on her coat, gently caressing her shoulders and arms as she put it on, letting her know that he was still with her. He'd always be with her, but that didn't mean he wasn't upset by what had happened. From there they'd held hands and made their way towards the car, their walk seeming to go on forever, the mood between them having changed from the sexiness and happiness of before to the heaviness of frustration and guilt.

" _I know me going after him hurt you."_ Michonne stated into the silence, slowing their walk to a halt. _"I'm so sorry."_ She uttered with sincerity, after turning her eyes to his, holding his gaze that seemed troubled.

" _It did hurt."_ Rick admitted, briefly dropping his eyes. _"And it was... frustrating…but then I remembered where you're coming from, that I've been here myself…"_

" _That was no excuse for what I did."_ Michonne quietly interjected. _"…leaving you to run behind a man who is my past."_

" _You care about him…"_

" _I do."_ Michonne declared. _"But that's as far as it goes. I care about him as a_ _friend_ _._ " She emphasized. _"I'm concerned about his wellbeing, but it's you that I want to be with."_

" _I know."_ Rick seriously replied, then gently touched her cheek, causing her to sigh in contentment and relief. _"But thank you for saying it."_

" _So we're okay?"_ She asked, holding his stare that was now emanating tenderness and calm.

" _Yeah."_ He softly answered, which prompted her to taste his lips, longingly, passionately, before taking him in her arms. Rick closed his eyes, the emotion in her embrace, touching him deep, making him want to hold onto her forever, but she'd pulled away just as he'd moved to hold her tighter, ending their embrace too soon for his liking. Moments later, they continued their walk in a silence that was still ripe with tension, and made their way to the car and eventually back to the condo. Even though they'd cleared the air, he didn't know if she wanted him to stay or go. Maybe he should leave, give her some space? He'd briefly debated within before she'd answered the question he'd never asked by making love to him with yearning passion, giving him her all, then falling into a peaceful slumber. Rick had watched her with tenderness and love, yet still concerned about the unease that lingered with her. He watched her for how long he didn't know, gently stroking her cheek, helplessly smiling as she lightly stirred at his touch, knowing in that moment that no matter what, he didn't just love her, that he wanted this experience every single day. He wanted to share his life with her, when sleep finally got the better of him and he fell into a slumber himself.

* * *

Rick returned to the present and decided to leave the bed, to find Michonne. He slipped on a pair of boxers and a sweat shirt and made his way through the vast condo, finding it empty, which for a minute, made him wonder if she'd gone out. But where at this hour? He mused. When he happened to catch movement out the corner of his eye and turned to see that she was on the balcony.

" _Morning."_ He quietly uttered as he stepped out into the cool air, walking onto the patio.

"Morning." She responded in the same quiet one.

" _Can I join you?"_

" _Of course."_ She said and moved over on the couch to provide him room to sit down. _"Are you barefoot?"_ She then questioned with concern.

" _Yeah, but I'll be fine."_ He assured as he took a seat next to her, then leaned over and chastely brushed her lips with his.

" _You sure?"_ She sighed at the warmth in his sweet gesture. _"It's pretty chilly out here."_

"Yeah." He confirmed, which he followed with another kiss as she pulled him closer, then snuggled against him, burying her face in his neck, loving his male scent. Rick wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head, noting her calm breathes as he looked out over the beautiful lit skyline. He felt joyful, contented, wanting this moment to be infinite, but even in this moment, that filled him with happiness, he could sense that Michonne was not completely there, that something was still troubling her.

" _You want to talk about it?"_ He softly asked.

" _What?"_ Michonne questioned as she drew away to look him in the eyes.

" _What's bothering you?"_ Rick cautiously stated, holding her gaze.

Michonne turned her eyes from Rick to the gradually illuminating sky, then dropped her eyes, thinking. Did she want to confess to him that she was still mulling over Mike, what she had done to her ex after what had happened the previous night? Did he need to know all that she was feeling? Would it make him uneasy and thus pull away from her? Those weren't the questions she should be asking herself. She realized. The real question was why she was shutting him out? Because she was afraid of letting someone completely in, to let in Rick Grimes, a man who wasn't completely available to her, a man who unknowingly had the power to destroy her, which scared her. He was all there emotionally and most certainly physically, but there was still his lingering divorce, hanging over their heads. Sasha's words suddenly rang in her mind, conflicting with her heart, telling her to be careful. But she was beyond being careful. She knew. Careful had left three months ago when she'd nearly made love to him on the shores of that lake in Palmer.

* * *

" _There's something I didn't tell you about when I went up to Philadelphia for Mr. Thompson's funeral."_ Michonne finally spoke, compelling Rick to gently squeeze her hand in encouragement. _"When there, I learned that Mike had not told his family about our break up."_ She confessed, to a shocked Rick. _"He thought that he was giving me space those weeks after I broke up with him… and that me coming to the funeral was…provided the opportunity for us to stop wasting time and reunite."_ She revealed, the news of what Mike had pulled frustrating Rick, but he remained quiet, firmly holding her hand, letting her know that he supported her. _"I had to reject him again. He was devastated. So much that…he asked me not to go to his father's funeral."_ She said, thinking how he'd called her later that night, after their argument at his parent's house to tell her what he wanted. _"He said…that he couldn't take seeing another person he'd lost, me, at the funeral and deal with his father's death at the same time."_

Rick was speechless, angered that Mike had put her in that position, pushing all of his hurt onto her, attempting to force her to rekindle their relationship by lying to his family about them still being together. He also felt for Michonne, who'd had to deal with such a precarious situation, that had obviously made it difficult for her to move past the pain she'd caused when she'd ended things with Mike. She'd told him that things were messy when she was in Philadelphia. Rick thought. But she hadn't provided any details. The only thing she said was that she wanted to put all that had happened behind her, move on, and he was happy to oblige what he saw as her completely closing the door on the part of her life that had involved Mike. However, to now learn, what had gone down, suddenly made the incident with Mike from the previous night more clear.

" _I did the right thing, what I wanted, when I walked away from Mike."_ Michonne uttered, drawing Rick from his thoughts. _"But when I saw him last night, the deep regret for the anguish I'd caused him came rushing back…I just wanted to help him…to fix the pain that I'd caused him, but I realized there's nothing more I can do. That I hurt him, I broke his heart and I can't fix that, only he can do that._ " She said as Rick now stroked her back, comforting her, while watching her in the dawning light, his heart teaming with love and compassion for this beautiful woman _. "It's just hard because he was a friend."_ She exhaled _. "And I hate to think that I've caused him so much pain."_

" _I know."_ Rick spoke with empathy and warmth, when it was clear she had completed her thoughts. _"But what choice did you have?"_

" _Nothing but_ _the truth."_ She voiced, knowing that she did the only thing she could, but still struggling with the result of her actions.

" _Baby, you have to forgive yourself for hurting him."_ He urged with compassion, touching her cheek then drifting to a dread, caressing it.

 _"Forgive?"_ Michonne echoed his words in surprise, having never even thought of it that way.

" _Yeah. Forgive."_ Rick confirmed. _"Holding this guilt is not healthy. You have to let it go."_ He said as she closed her eyes, nodding at his words, feeling them deep, feeling them ease the self-reproach that had continued to haunt her about the breakup with Mike. Michonne lifted her gaze and found a sea of blue, loving and understanding, igniting her heart. She then leaned forward and kissed his lips, with tenderness and care, and again returned her eyes to his, silently thanking him for his wisdom and support. Rick gently smiled, wordlessly conveying 'You're welcome,' before he commenced another kiss, infusing it with love and hunger then pulled her closer, driving her to rest herself against him, her legs now draped over his, her head laying just beneath his chin, with her lips faintly brushing his jaw, stirring him with a smoldering fire. For a long while they remained quiet, happy, savoring the feel of being together as they watched the dawn turn into day.

* * *

" _What time do you have to be at the Summit?"_ Michonne quietly asked.

" _9:00am."_ Rick languidly replied. The peace of the moment having nearly relaxed him into a slumber. _"My last day here."_ He then somberly announced the obvious.

" _I've been thinking about how we should continue."_ Michonne stated.

" _Me too."_

" _What are you thinking?"_

" _You first."_ Rick encouraged, prompting her to reluctantly sit up.

" _We can plan to meet every weekend or every other, if weekly is too difficult."_ She said thinking about both of their work demands and his commitments to his son. _"We can alternate between me going to Palmer and you coming here."_

"I was thinking the same thing."

" _Seriously?"_ Michonne questioned with a smile.

" _Seriously."_ Rick replied. _"What did you think I was going to say? That we should see each other once a month? Or once every three months?"_ He jokingly queried. _"I'm not waiting that long to see you again."_ He huskily whispered, warming her heart, driving her to sweetly take his mouth.

" _So I guess next weekend I'm in Palmer."_ She murmured.

" _You don't have to."_ Rick sighed against her mouth, his words surprising her. _"I can come back here."_ He explained then kissed her again.

" _I don't mind driving down to Palmer."_ She softly conveyed after he pulled away.

" _I know, but I'm finding that I'm taking a great liking to Atlanta."_ He lightly smiled as he briefly caressed her arm then drifted to her hand and intertwined their fingers.

" _I wonder why?"_ Michonne teased with a breath, loving the feel of his hand in hers.

" _You're a big part of it, but I've always been intrigued by the city."_ He seriously revealed. " _In fact, I've been making some really good connections at the Summit, many of whom informed me of several opportunities for employment at departments here."_

" _What are you saying? Are you thinking of moving here?"_ Michonne question with excitement and shock, which gradually changed to alarm.

" _Maybe. It would be a welcomed change from Palmer once my divorce is final."_ He declared. _"There's plenty of opportunities for advancement here, the pay is significantly better…and then there's you."_

" _But what about your son?"_ Michonne asked one of the questions that was fueling her reservations.

" _I can still be apart of his life."_ Rick assured.

" _In what way? You wouldn't be there to take him to school everyday, attend his baseball games, practices or help him with homework…"_

" _What's really bothering you about this idea?"_ Rick asked. _"Because I feel like your concern is about more than just my relationship with Carl."_ Michonne drew a deep breath and briefly dropped her eyes, amazed at how he could read her so well and a bit nervous about what she needed to say.

" _We've only known each other for three months."_ She replied, again looking him in the eyes. _"And only just…took our relationship to the next level a couple of days ago…now you're talking about moving here…"_

" _Not tomorrow…"_

" _Yes, but as soon as your divorce is final, which could be any day now."_

" _If I made that move it would at least be after Carl finishes this year of school. 8 months from now."_ He clarified, and was a little stung by the relief Michonne displayed. _"You really wouldn't want me to move up here right away?"_

" _I'd love having you here, living nearby, tomorrow if it were possible."_ She honestly replied. _"But I just don't want us to mess things up by pushing for too much too soon."_ She said. _"Another thing is your divorce …it'll be final at best within the next week, at worst within the next month or longer."_ She pointed out. _"You said yourself that Carl is still struggling with the breakup. I just don't want the situation with him to be exacerbated by you moving here within the next few weeks."_

" _You make valid points."_ Rick conceded. _"But my divorce will be final within the next couple of weeks at the absolute latest."_ He vowed. _"With regards to us, it can never be too much too soon."_ He tenderly stated.

" _You think so?"_ Michonne uttered as she held his stare, seeing it in his eyes and feeling it again, powerful and deep, the profound and intense emotion that he felt for her, but had yet to define.

" _Yeah."_ Rick softly confirmed, wanting so much to say more, to tell her he loved her, but knowing she wasn't quite ready to hear those words. So instead he gave her a kiss, with slow passion and yearning, expressing without words how much he loved her. _"And as far as Carl goes, I agree."_ He huskily continued after pulling away, leaving Michonne breathless, purposely steering the conversation away from what he was so close to confessing. _"The last thing I want is for him to think the worst of me, or our relationship."_

" _He'll need time to get used to everything…"_ Michonne sighed still reeling from the passionate kiss they'd shared.

Rick nodded in agreement, now completely understanding where she was coming from. _"8 months may or may not be enough time."_ He realized aloud.

" _We can see where we all are when we get there, decide if a move is the right thing."_ She added.

 _Ok._ Rick quietly agreed, then kissed her lips again, contently sighing as Michonne snuggled against him, somewhat disappointed by what they'd decided. Though he'd not fully committed to making the move in 8 months, in his head, his heart, he was already preparing himself to do it, to relocate to Atlanta and was thus getting excited by the prospect, but Michonne was right. There were still some things to be considered, specifically Carl, because he wasn't the least bit worried about them jinxing things by moving too fast. They were right. They were real. The realest relationship he'd ever had and he had no doubt that where they were, the pacing of their relationship was right where it should be. Rick looked to the sky and guessed at least 15-20 minutes had gone by _. "We have about two hours until I have to be at the Summit."_ He said.

"An hour and a half if you subtract travel time." Michonne voiced, her tone low, then lightly brushed her lips against his neck, before resting her head beneath his chin once more.

" _That means we don't have much time."_ Rick then breathed.

" _For what?"_ She asked, after moving to look him in the eyes, completely intrigued by his statement.

" _For me to cook you breakfast."_ He announced what she did not expect and in turn made her laugh.

" _You're going to cook me breakfast?"_ She questioned with mirth.

" _You haven't tasted what I can do with an omelet."_ Rick bragged. _"I've got to give you something to_ remember me by while we're apart for the next few days."

" _Believe me, I'm not going to forget you that easily."_ Michonne sexily replied.

" _That's good to know, but the omelet will seal the deal."_ He uttered then kissed her mouth, before playfully wandering to her neck and chest causing her to laugh once more.

* * *

Four hours later…

Michonne stepped out of the shower, thinking about her talk with Rick, how good she felt about it and the moments after. She knew now that she was done with the guilt that had plagued her due to what had happened with Mike, not just because she'd finally accepted that healing it, healing him was out of her hands, but the guidance and support Rick had provided. Any other man would've been annoyed and impatient with her confession but he'd had her back the entire time she was working through her emotions. He was truly an incredible man who was not just her lover, not just a friend, but someone who was quickly becoming so much more. She cautiously allowed herself to admit, at the deep, emotion and warmth that stirred within her at the thought of him. Michonne fleetingly recalled the rest of their conversation before settling on all that had followed.

The omelet he'd made, which had been pulled together with ingredients she had in her refrigerator, included asparagus, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. It had been delicious, to her surprise. She smiled as she dried off, now recalling how they'd eaten and just talked, then feeling heated by the memory of the love making that had followed, in the kitchen no less, that had been way too short, before he'd had to go. She already missed him, missed the week that he wouldn't be there, but she was excited about seeing him one more time before he left.

They planned to meet and grab a late lunch near the Georgia Aquarium. Michonne finished drying off and headed for the closet, trying to decide on what she'd wear. Maybe a short dress with boots? It was chilly enough for that and Rick loved seeing her in anything that showed off her legs and ass. She smiled to herself, when her cell phone began to ring. She walked to the nightstand, observed the number on its face. However, she didn't recognize it, but it was a Palmer area code, like Rick's phone. She hesitantly picked up the call, answering with _"Hello."_

" _Is this Miconne?"_ A woman immediately asked in a terse and hoarse voice, mispronouncing her name.

" _This is Michonne."_ She firmly corrected _. "Who is this?"_ She then retorted, her irritation igniting at the woman's rude tone.

 _"Mrs. Lori Grimes." T_ he woman harshly revealed.


	17. The Wrath of Fire

**Thanks everyone for continuing with this story.**

 **fithola - I'm glad you found this story again and are enjoying it.**

 **Chapter Seventeen**

" _How did you get this number?"_ Michonne fiercely questioned.

" _Rick didn't tell you?"_ Lori retorted _. "I'm not surprised."_ She proudly asserted. _"He may be calling and texting you, he may be screwing you, but he's still my husband and there are things we share that are deeper than anything he could ever have with you."_

" _Oh really?"_ Michonne scoffed _. "He's your husband, even though he's filed for divorce and hasn't lived with you for months?"_

" _That doesn't mean a dam thing. He may be with you now, but he'll realize what he has with me and come back to our life together."_ She claimed, baffling and angering Michonne. " _We still share a bond. We will always be connected…"_

" _I think you're confusing bonding through your child with bonding with each other."_

" _We, me and Rick, bonded for more than 16 years, that's something that's not so easily broken."_ Lori argued with wrath.

" _And yet after 16 years of "bonding" of trying to make your marriage work, he's walking away."_ Michonne boldly countered. _"Why do you think that is? Why is it that you need to call me, his fleeting lover, to boast about your bond if it's so indestructible?"_

" _How dare you!"_ Lori angrily exclaimed. _"You know nothing about our marriage."_

" _You're right. I don't."_ Michonne conceded with ire. _"I don't know what you and Rick shared and honestly I don't care, but I do know that whatever it was, it's over. Has been for a while, long before I came into the picture. So why the hell are you calling me?!"_

" _Because I need Rick, I need by hus…"_

" _And what does that have to do with me?"_ Michonne interjected, increased.

" _Our son is in trouble. Carl is in trouble!"_ Lori proclaimed with frustration. _"Our son could be dying and I can't get in touch with MY husband because of you, because you're keeping him from me!"_

* * *

Nine Days Later…

How was it possible for things to be going so well, only to get fucked up so quickly? Rick thought. More than a week ago, he and Michonne had just finished spending an incredible few days together, had worked through some lingering issues surrounding her break up with Mike and committed to moving forward with their relationship. He'd been excited, hopeful, happier than he'd been in a long while. Then the unexpected had happened. It had started with him being pulled from a workshop at the Summit, a continuation of the discussion between law enforcement and community leaders. The organizers had asked all attendees to turn their phones completely off, so that they could be fully engaged with the discussion at hand.

As a result, Rick had not known that something had happened and thus he was being sought, until he'd been quietly tracked down in the workshop. As soon as he emerged from the room he was told that there was an emergency call waiting for him at the security desk. He'd immediately rushed over, already with many devastating scenarios running through his mind to find that it was Michonne on the line.

Without delay, he'd asked her what had happened and she'd told him that he needed to call home, that Lori had reached out to her in search of him due to a family emergency. On the surface, Michonne had been calm and concerned, but he sensed in her tone that words had been exchanged during the call with Lori. He'd wanted to know what was said, what Michonne thought, about what he knew had been an unpleasant conversation, but he needed more to learn what the family emergency was that had precipitated Lori contacting her.

Knowing this, Michonne had ended their call, but not before wishing him a safe drive home and him vowing to let her know when he was back in Palmer. After hanging up with her, he'd turned on his phone to more than a dozen voicemails and texts. He didn't even have to read or listen to them all before learning what had happened. There had been a fire, and as a result, the house he'd shared with Lori and Carl had burned to the ground. Right away, he'd reached out to Lori, and she'd answered the phone, completely hysterical, barely able to coherently inform him that Carl was in the hospital and her fear that he wouldn't survive. Those were all the details he could get out of her before he'd got her to hang up the phone due to her being too inconsolable to provide more information or give the phone to someone else who could.

Rick had been beside himself with worry and despair and quickly got on the road, leaving Atlanta to return to Palmer. The drive had seemed agonizingly long, and could've been so much worse without the support of Michonne. She'd talked him through the drive, assuring him that Carl would be okay, that in no time he'd be back to being his ten-year old self, playing baseball and driving him crazy. The thought of which gave him hope and made him love her more.

He'd arrived in Palmer in record time, a little under three hours and gone straight to the hospital, where he'd learned that Carl had been admitted due to smoke inhalation and a concussion. They wanted to watch him for 48 hours to make sure there was no serious damage to his lungs and monitor his concussion. When Rick had gone to his room, he'd found him sleeping peacefully, but also Lori, who'd immediately ran into his arms, burying her face in his chest and breaking down, while Shane sat in a corner of the room, watching with undisguised rage, infuriating Rick.

" _What the hell are you doing here?"_ Rick had tartly asked as he pulled away from a disappointed Lori.

" _Saving your family, my family again."_ Shane had bitterly stated.

" _Get the fuck out!"_ Rick then ordered, his tone quiet as not to wake Carl but severe. _"Now!"_ He'd commanded when his former friend failed to move, holding his vicious gaze. Shane had then slowly stood from his chair then walked towards Rick as if he would challenge him, and Rick had responded in kind making no move to back down. If Shane came for him he would not hesitate to show him he was not be toyed with, but the man had wisely walked away, leaving the room, but not before giving him the most vengeful of looks. Rick had then heard Lori sigh in relief behind him then express to him how glad she was that he was there while attempting to draw physical comfort from him again.

" _Is it true?"_ Rick had asked, interrupting her effort to touch him, to distract him from what had just happened with Shane. _"Did he save your life? Did he save Carl?"_

" _It doesn't matter."_ Lori had said. _"All that matters is that you're here with us now."_ She'd said as she tried to caress his cheek, but he turned his face away.

" _Answer the question."_ He'd demanded, and Lori had no choice but to reply. She'd confirmed that Shane must've been in the neighborhood, which Rick suspected was a lie, and had come just in the nick of time to save them. Carl had been downstairs, in the basement, reading comics and watching television and got trapped down there. Shane had to break out the window to get him out. She'd said. _"What started the fire?_ " Rick had then asked.

Lori had told him she didn't know, but from what little she'd heard from the firemen at the scene they couldn't find an obvious source right away and thus there were thoughts that it could be suspicious. That information had worried Rick, made him wonder about the timing, with him being out of town and Shane conveniently being there to mount a rescue, made him recall Morgan's warning, but his mind didn't linger there too long, for the doctor had come in to check on Carl, and Rick had questions for the man.

He'd asked about Carl having another concussion within weeks of the previous one, but the doctor had assured that his son would be fine, that his youth and the resilience of the brain, would guarantee a full recovery. For the most part, the man had been right. By the time Carl had been released from the hospital he was breathing fine and had little affects from the concussion. However, the doctor still recommended he rest his mind for a few more days, no school or sports at least for another day or two and as little stress as possible. The latter had been difficult to avoid.

Though Carl was physically better, he was terrified of being alone and wanted to remain especially close to his father. Thus, Rick's plan to have him and Lori stay at an extended stay motel or with her friend Sara had been abandoned. Carl had become extremely upset at the thought of staying some place separate from him, and even his mother, which Lori had fully embraced and encouraged, vehemently declaring that she wouldn't be away from "her son." As a result, Rick was left with no choice, but to have her join Carl in moving into his home.

* * *

Rick sat on the porch of his home, with his head down and took a deep breath, thinking how Carl and Lori were inside, settling in for the evening, settling back into his life when the only thing he wanted was to be there for his son and move forward with Michonne. Rick breathed out and watched the frosty air leave his lungs. It was well past 5 and with all that was going on at her job, he was certain she would still be working. He could wait, one more day to give her the full scope of what was going on, but it wasn't right to keep waiting. It hadn't been right for him to delay it this long, but he was trying to figure a way around it. She knew everything that had happened with Carl for he'd called her that night after he'd returned to Palmer and let her know all that had gone on that day.

However, over the past five days they'd continued to text, but the correspondences had been limited and brief as had been their calls due in part to her being busy with work. She'd had to travel to Seattle unexpectedly, but was now back in Atlanta, had been, since that morning. Thus, it was time. Far past time for him to tell her the rest. God he just wanted to call her and ask her about her day, to plan what was supposed to be her visit to Palmer that weekend, but he couldn't, not yet, not until they got passed this. Rick unlocked his phone and speed dialed Michonne. She picked on the second ring, uttering 'hey', her voice so pleasant and peaceful, stirring a comfort and joy within him.

" _You busy?"_ He queried with caution.

" _I'm still at work, but I'm wrapping things up here. Is everything alright?"_ She asked the question to which the answer she already knew.

" _No."_ He quietly sighed, closing his eyes.

" _Is it Carl?"_ Michonne questioned with concern, recalling what she knew about all that had happened, and the resulting danger to Carl that could be ongoing to his health.

" _No. He's fine."_

" _I'm glad to hear that… but, I feel like there's something you're not telling me."_ She stated as Rick tried in vain to find the words to speak what he needed to, but didn't want to say, what he'd delayed in telling her for fear of what it would do to their relationship.

" _There is something, you need to know."_ He admitted with hesitance. " _With, the house being gone, everything being gone…Lori and Carl, have moved in with me."_

There was a long silence, a tension suddenly between them, stifling and heavy, even with him in Palmer and her in Atlanta. Dread pounded in Rick's heart, robbing him of words, robbing him of breath as he waited with unease for what would come next.

" _Are you back with her?"_ Michonne asked with strength, giving nothing away, even as trepidation accosted her within.

" _No. Never."_ Rick uttered with emotion.

" _Then help me understand why?"_

" _The fire shook Carl up pretty bad. He needs me…and Lori, maybe more than he ever has."_

" _How long will she be staying?"_

" _I don't know."_ He answered with difficulty.

* * *

Michonne leaned on her desk, her hand to her head, her heart in anguish, her mind racing. As soon as Lori had called she feared that there would be something coming, something that she hadn't prepared for, that would threaten her relationship with Rick and now here it was. It was horrible what had happened to Carl, being caught up in a fire and now having to deal with the emotional aftermath of nearly dying. As much as she hated to admit it, Lori was right.

She and Rick would always be connected by the child they shared and thus always be brought back together for some crisis or crowning achievement with him. This is what happens when you get involved with a married man. She could hear in her head, Angela's words, what her friend had said when she'd mentioned to her the call she'd received from Lori. Sasha had tried to warn her about this as well, about getting too close to him with his divorce being unfinished, but she couldn't help herself.

It was like breathing, being enthralled by this incredible man who made her feel beautiful, who understood her and cared for her, who she connected with on a level she'd never experienced in her life. No matter how much she'd fought it, she couldn't stop herself from…falling in love with him. She finally tortuously admitted to herself what she'd been denying for months. She was in love with Rick Grimes. The angst deepened in heart seeming to sharpen and twist at her silent admission and what was now happening.

" _So what does that mean for us?"_ She then quietly, shakily asked. Rick drew a deep breath, not wanting to answer her question, knowing that it would change things between them, but having no other choice but to be truthful.

" _Lori, won't sign the papers."_ He sighed, revealing what he knew she was really asking, thinking how his Ex seemed more invested in saving their marriage than ever. _"And with all that's going on with Carl I can't push right now for the divorce, but I want you to know that it will happen. Not today or tomorrow, but soon. And I want you to understand, that I don't want what's happened to get in the way of what we have. I want us to continue moving forward."_ He stated with emotion, his words hanging in the air, touching, yet disheartening, precipitating a long period of quiet in which Michonne contemplated his declaration, the implication in it.

What it would mean for their relationship. While he was waiting for Carl to work through the trauma that was the fire, with his wife again living under his roof, she knew what it meant for them, that he would not be coming to Atlanta or she to Palmer like they'd planned, that even their Skye dates would be reduced to nothing. Their relationship would become what she never wanted it to be, an affair, with then sneaking stolen moments via sporadic phone calls and texts, to ensure he was beyond the fragile eyes and ears of his son, and the judgement of his wife.

" _Michonne…"_ She suddenly heard in the distance, Rick calling her name, his voice uneven and disquiet, drawing her back to the present, driving her to speak…

" _I told you once, that I'd tell you…if…if I was ever uncomfortable…"_ She struggled to state. _"Well, I am…uncomfortable …I can't…I can't… continue our relationship this way."_ She sadly, brokenly confessed, shattering Rick's heart.

" _No…"_ He rejected with devastation.

" _You're a married man."_ Michonne continued with angst.

" _Who is in the process of a divorce."_ He strongly countered.

" _Yes, but a divorce you're putting on hold due to your son and wife moving back in with you for an indefinite amount of time."_

" _Divorce or not, my marriage is over."_ Rick argued.

" _How? When she and your son just moved back in with you?"_ Michonne questioned with frustration and woe. _"When I have no doubt that she will do everything in her power to make this situation work to her advantage, to bring you and her back together."_ She pointed out, thinking of all the stalling tactics Lori pulled to delay the divorce, and the woman's insistence that the marriage was salvageable during their angry exchange.

" _She may try, but she will fail."_ Rick vowed.

" _I know she will, but I won't be apart of the drama that will inevitably stir while she's still your wife and living under your roof."_ Michonne declared. _"I will not be that woman."_

" _We can work through this."_ Rick contended. _"If I can trust you to be by Mike's side when his father died, if I supported you through that how can you not support me through this?"_ He aggrieved.

" _Rick that is not the same thing and you know it!"_ Michonne disagreed. _"I went to Mr. Thompson's funeral to lend my support to Mike, I wasn't moving back in with him."_

" _I can fix this. I will fix this."_ Rick emotionally pledged.

" _I know you will."_ She stated, her voice unsteady. _"But until you do, I can only wait for you, not with you."_ She agonized. Rick knew she was right. He'd promised his divorce would be final by now and it wasn't, and he had no set time when it would be. It was completely unfair for him to expect her to try and continue their relationship while he and Lori were again sharing the same home, but he couldn't accept it. He couldn't let her go.

" _Please, don't do this."_ He pled.

" _I don't want to, but I have to…"_ She tearfully said. _"I gotta to go…"_

" _Michonne …"_

"I'm sorry…"

" _I love you."_ Rick uttered with angst, but his words were too late for she'd already hung up the phone.

* * *

Rick sat on the edge of the chair, the phone still glued to his ear, even though no one was there. Pain, deep and pointed, tore through him, pushing a tear from his eye, driving him to close them and tremulously exhale. He then drew the phone from his ear, but still held it tightly in his grasped, his head down in anguish and defeat.

" _I can't believe your nerve."_ Lori stated with annoyance, driving Rick from his heartache to look towards her, who he'd not even heard come onto the porch. _"Your son is inside, still struggling with what happened and you're out here on the phone with your mistress?!"_ She accused.

" _Is that what you think she is to me? A mistress?"_ Rick exclaimed as he sat up straighter, the hurt that was consuming him quickly turning to indignation. _"I love her…"_

" _I heard."_ Lori asserted with disgust. _"And it sickens me. How could yo…"_

" _How could I what Lori?!"_ Rick angrily asked. _"Find someone else? Love someone else? Not love you, not want you? I haven't loved you or wanted you for a very long time so why do you keep pushing this like there is something still left of us to salvage, because there isn't! There's nothing left Lori!"_

" _There will always be something between us!"_

" _You mean our son?"_ Rick scoffed. _"Don't you think he's been used too long as excuse to continue this marriage?"_

 _"Isn't our son enough?"_ She countered with ire.

 _"Carl deserves better than to be used as a pawn in your game_ _!"_ Rick seethed.

 _"This is not a game!"_ Lori denied. _"This is our marriage!"_

 _"Spare me the bullshit Lori! You may be in my house today, tomorrow, hell even a month from now, but this marriage is OVER! No matter how much you stall, borrowing money from your father to prolong the process, for whatever your agenda may be, you will not win this."_ He said, holding her resentful gaze. _"You will NOT win this."_ He emphasized again, then left the porch re-entering the house and failing to hear her defiant response.

 _"We'll see."_


	18. The Truth From Innocence

**Happy Christmas Eve to all who celebrate and Happy Holidays!**

 **Thanks to all who continue to support this story. I really appreciate you reading and expressing your thoughts. I hope you all have a great New Year! I will continue this story in 2017, next month.**

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Michonne sat alone, feeling tired and a little peaked, waiting for her client, whom she wasn't particularly excited to meet. It had been a tough three weeks, this one specifically had been the toughest she'd endured in a while. Work had become nearly unmanageable, due to additional layoffs being made and as a result, more responsibilities shifting to her. Moreover, she was having car trouble, which could easily and best resolved by purchasing a new one, but she'd had no time to even begin the process. Furthermore, her mom had called, worrying her over nonsense. After all this time, she'd finally learned that her relationship with Mike was over. Apparently she'd reached out to Mrs. Thompson to see how she'd been since the death of her husband and the woman had told her mother that Michonne had ended the relationship with Mike.

Her mother had concluded that the relationship had ended due to another man and called her to demand she tell her who he was, that she hoped he was someone in better financial standing than Michael Thompson. If it hadn't been her mother on the call, Michonne would've said something extremely derogatory and hung up, but she'd been as respectful as she could be, putting her mother in her place before promptly ending the call. The last thing she wanted to hear was more advice about her love life. She was getting enough of it from Angela and to a lesser degree Sasha who was always compassionate and understanding.

Michonne took a sip of the iced cold water before her, in an attempt to settle her turning stomach as her thoughts fell to Rick. His now anemic presence in her life was not helping the stresses she was feeling. She missed him so much. Their frequent texts and phone calls. Their Skype dates. She missed everything about them. They'd talked since their breakup, only briefly a few weeks ago, and now texted maybe twice a week just to check in and see how the other was doing, but nothing tangible, fulfilling.

Michonne closed her eyes, her heart aching at the thought of him, longing for his voice, wanting so much to feel his touch. She wondered what he was doing at this very moment? She remembered, he told her a few weeks ago, before everything happened that he would be doing a Deputy Training class that week in Hawkinsville. It was ridiculous, silly really, but maybe she could just call his phone, hear his voice. She knew with him teaching class, he'd have his phone off, and therefore, he wouldn't answer. Should she take a chance? Michonne questioned within, risk him picking up the phone. Michonne pulled out her phone, tapped on her favorites and scrolled to his name, her finger hovering over his number, still debating what she should do, when finally she lowered her hand to it and dialed the number. Shockingly, Rick picked up on the first ring and for a fleeting moment, she considered hanging up, but instead remained on the line, speechless and nervous, until Rick uttered her name, filling her with tenderness.

" _I didn't expect you to pick up."_ She softly confessed as quickening the beats in his chest, heightening his excitement, nearly robbing him of breath.

" _I was just thinking about you."_ He managed to utter, deepening the warmth in her heart.

" _Are you not in Hawkinsville?"_ She asked without thought, not knowing what else to say.

" _No. The class got cancelled."_ He replied. _"Are you okay?"_ He then asked, hearing the disquiet in her tone.

" _Yeah. It's just been, a rough week."_ She reluctantly admitted.

" _You want to talk about it?"_ Rick carefully pressed, wanting so much for her to open up to him. He'd missed this so much, them just talking about life, the easy and the hard, the good and the bad. He'd missed her, desperately. Michonne hesitated to answer, her minding telling her she shouldn't do this, that to say more would take them back to what they were, what she said they couldn't be until his divorce was final, but her heart said different, yearning to connect with him, to fully share what she was thinking and feeling, like she had so many times before.

" _There's been a lot of upheaval at work, and other stuff."_ She helplessly revealed, instantly feeling a relief and comfort in the moment, stirring Rick with happiness and hope.

" _More layoffs?"_

" _Yeah, but my job is okay, for now. Just more work than I can handle."_ She sighed.

" _It'll ease up."_ He assured. _"And if it doesn't, you won't have any problem finding something else."_

" _That's if I can find time to look."_

" _You've been that busy huh?"_

" _Pretty much."_ She confirmed. _"Hardly a moment to spare."_

" _But, you're sparing a moment for me."_ He quietly, lovingly pointed out. 'That's because I miss you, every day and I couldn't spend another moment fighting my thoughts of you and thus ignoring my need to hear you, to feel the peace and perspective you bring.' Her heart ached to reply, but her head stayed her tongue.

" _So how have you been? How's Carl?"_ She asked instead with quiet strength.

" _I'm okay."_ He replied, but wanted to tell her that life had been painful and lonely without her. _"Carl is better."_ He then answered her second question, when the moment seemed to turn long and quiet with Michonne waiting and wondering, hoping that Rick would say more, that things had changed with him and Lori, that she was no longer sleeping under his roof, but he didn't say a word. For he was fighting his heart, trying to respect her request for them to remain apart, yet yearning to tell her that he missed her, but wanting more to say 'I love you' and that Lori was out of their lives forever, but he couldn't.

Though Carl was better, he wasn't having as many nightmares as before, he was still struggling with what had happened and still needed a lot of support from him and Lori, which worked best, for now, with them all under the same roof. But in spite of that, he needed his divorce from Lori to be final and he'd been looking into alternative ways to make that happen as soon as possible. In the meantime, he didn't want to go on this way, barely speaking with or even "seeing" Michonne. He understood her decision to step away from their relationship, but he wanted to try again. He wanted to ask her if they could just talk more, text more, do a Skype outing every once and a while until he could clean up this mess with Lori. He need that. He needed her and he knew that she needed him too. Rick made up his mind to speak, to tell her what was in his heart, but he didn't get a chance, because Michonne spoke first…

" _I have to go."_ She faintly asserted.

" _I miss you"_ He quietly responded, staying the pain within, with the truest words he could speak in that moment, surprising and deeply touching Michonne.

" _Me too."_ She uttered, nearly inaudibly. _"I have to go."_ She stated once more, nearly brokenly, then hung up the phone before Rick could say more, shattering his heart.

* * *

" _Mike."_ Michonne said with normalcy, giving no indication of pain that was ripping her within, greeting her ex-fiancé who was the client she'd been waiting on with trepidation. " _Where is Mr. Sterling?"_ She asked.

" _Mr. Sterling won't be joining us."_ Mike replied. _"He had an emergency at the office. It's just going to be me and you."_ Michonne took another sip of her iced water, trying to stay calm, but feeling duped and thus annoyed and a little nauseous at the thought of this likely not being business centric at all.

" _What are you doing?"_ She then questioned, her tone and gaze making clear her testy mood, and therefore her intolerance for bullshit at this meeting.

" _What do mean what I'm doing?"_ Mike seriously replied, seemingly offended by what she'd inferred without saying the words. _"I'm here to talk business."_ He claimed, which Michonne didn't buy. She'd been curious when her supervisor had informed her that they had a new client that had specifically requested her as their account executive. However, she'd become suspicious when she learned that the client was the firm in which Mike worked and became even more alarmed when it was discovered that he, along with Mr. Sterling would be her liaisons on the project. As a result, she'd immediately wanted to turn it down, to hand it over to someone else, but with the instability of the company and thus her job, this was not the time to be giving projects away, but taking them on in an effort to ensure job security.

" _Don't you think me as account executive to your firm is a conflict of interest?"_ Sheposed what she'd wanted to ask him since she'd learned of this account, but had chosen not to reach out to him due to how things were left the last time they'd spoken.

" _It probably is."_ He admitted. _"But, I wanted the opportunity to say I'm sorry for how I behaved, the last couple of times we talked."_ He sincerely stated, holding her gaze.

" _You don't have to apologize."_ Michonne replied. _"You were hurt, angry…"_

" _I was, but I took that anger too far."_ He contended.

" _As I said, it was understandable. No need to keep dwelling on it."_

" _I agree. We should move on from the hurt that has happened."_ He suggested, with eyes that were expressing more, seeming to be quietly asking that they give their relationship another chance.

" _I have moved on."_ Michonne stated, telling him without spelling it out that they were still finished, despite her ability to move on and what appeared to be his desire to start over. _"And I'm glad that you can too…but, we should get back to business."_ Shesaid, then reached in her satchel for a hard copy of the presentation she had for him and what was supposed to be his colleague, about her proposed strategy for the product line they were looking to reinvigorate with a new marketing campaign.

" _We should, but before we do, tell me how you've been?"_ He questioned causing Michonne to turn her gaze from her bag to him, her look bewildered. _"You don't look well."_

" _I'm fine…."_

" _Chonne, we lived together for two years. I know when you're not okay…"_

" _Mike stop."_

" _I know that things are over with you and …him"_

" _I said stop!"_ Michonne nearly snapped, but forcefully kept her voice down as not to cause a scene. She was shocked by his comment and wondered how he knew of her breakup with Rick, then remembered that Angela had likely told her man, Reggie, who was good friends with Mike. _"If you're not here to talk business then this lunch meeting is over."_ She firmly added, shutting down his planned response.

" _Ok, business."_ He then nearly grudgingly conceded, while giving her a look that said anything but. However, Michonne ignored his ardent gaze, and handed him the preliminary proposal for revitalizing one of their old product lines then proceeded to direct him through the core of the presentation. Mike followed along, asking questions and making comments here and there then stated…

" _I heard things are a little crazy at the Firm, lots of reorganization and turn over."_

" _We're going through a rough time right now, which begs the question, why your firm would choose us for this project?"_ Michonne questioned again.

" _Despite the issues your firm is having, it's still one of the best in the business."_ Mike defended.

" _And my history with you had nothing to do with it?"_ Sheskeptically asked.

" _I won't lie. It did play a role…"_

" _And your boss didn't see this as a conflict of interest?"_

" _I have a new boss. And he knows nothing about us."_ Mike affirmed.

" _He knows nothing about our past."_ Michonne corrected.

" _He knows nothing about our past."_ Mike echoed her words, his response etched with discontent.

" _Well I can assure you the work that we'll do for you on this project will be nothing less than outstanding."_ She then said, turning the conversation back to business, not liking this at all, considering her and Mike's history, but what could she do? She couldn't very well turn down an account this big. It meant money for the company and with her been specifically requested as the account executive, it meant job security, for now.

" _I don't doubt that."_ Mike stated with certainty. _"But I know this type of upheaval and uncertainty was never what you wanted….in your career."_ He added the last part, when his tone seemed to imply something else.

" _It happens, but it'll work out."_ Michonne countered.

" _What if it doesn't?"_ He asked, his question loaded with so much more than the business at hand.

" _That's none of your concern."_ Michonne strongly declared.

" _No it's not."_ He concurred. _"But, I have a proposition…a business proposition that I don't think you'll be able to refuse."_

* * *

Rick watched Carl in the distance as he ran with the crowd of other 10 year olds, chasing the soccer ball kicking it in the direction of the goal. The moment felt good, just watching his son enjoying himself, being normal, participating in the indoor soccer tryouts. Now that baseball season was over, which had not been what he'd wanted it to be, due to him missing a few games because of the sprained ankle and concussion he suffered earlier in the summer and again at the end of the season. Carl was determined to have a full season of something and soccer was it, and Rick was happy to help him achieve this goal.

He would do anything he could to get Carl's life back to normal, which in the three weeks that had passed, tremendous progress had been made. Though he, and Lori, had to start from scratch with clothes, shoes, underwear, everything, the community had been good to them. They'd made donations, monetary and otherwise to get Carl and Lori clothes, underwear, blankets etc. even food. Rick had done his part too, adding to what was donated to give Carl a full closet of clothes, shoes, and undergarments. He'd even bought him a few new comic books to replace the one's he'd lost in the fire, which had gone a long way in providing some form of comfort.

Thankfully all of their memories, specifically of Carl as a child had not been lost. Lori had uploaded the pictures to the Cloud a couple of years before along with many more photos she thought were valuable, and as a result they were recoverable. However, many other things had been lost, that had been invaluable, specifically to Lori, but at least they were both alive.

Thanks to Shane, which in the weeks that had gone by Rick had gotten an opportunity to investigate further. The Fire Marshall had concluded that the fire was arson, started by what appeared to be lighter fluid and a cigarette, underneath the deck on the backside of the house, but they had yet to find any evidence of who had started the fire. Neighbors had been questioned but no one had seen anything. Rick had asked Lori about her recollection of events and she claimed she had no idea what was going on until she awakened to the smoke alarm going off. She'd made it out of her bedroom planning to go find Carl, but Shane was already there and forced her out the house while he went to find Carl. In his search of the house he'd discovered that Carl was in the basement.

How, she didn't know, but he couldn't get to him due to the intensity of the fire and smoke driving him out of the house. In the end, he'd been successful in saving Carl by breaking the basement window from the outside and pulling him through the small space. Rick was glad that Shane was there to save Lori and Carl, but he thought there was more to the story that hadn't been said or perhaps known. Someone had to have seen more. However, when he'd done his own questioning of the neighbors, he'd not had any luck in learning more, learning who'd done this.

Now knowing that the fire was deliberate, the first question would be who would want to do this? The second question would be, why would someone do this? His mind kept going to Shane, what Morgan had told him about the man who'd once been his friend, telling him that something was not right there, but that made no sense to Rick. Shane might want Lori, but he would never do something so dangerous as to set the house on fire to endear himself to her. That was just crazy. Someone else must've set that fire, but who and why?

* * *

Rick continued to watch Carl laugh with his fellow teammates, playing so carefree and with spirit. Besides Shane, his son was the only person he'd not talked to about what happened that morning of the fire. He'd been reluctant to do so because despite being better, Carl still struggled with nightmares, waking at least three times a week screaming for him and Lori. Rick again contemplated his soon to be ex-wife, how in the short time she'd been in his home, she'd tried her damdest to seduce him back into their marriage.

She knew that he and Michonne had…broken things off and as a result had attempted to seize the moment. She'd done everything from fix his favorite meals and packed his daily lunch to coming out the shower skimpily clothed and showing up in his bedroom or bath unannounced, specifically when he was not properly dressed. He'd rejected every single one of her attempts, to her frustration, and had threatened to throw her out if she didn't back off, which she'd grudgingly complied but not before telling him that she didn't care about his "indiscretion" with Michonne or his "supposed love for her," that their marriage was worth saving and eventually he'd see that. He didn't even counter her that time because he was sick of saying what she wasn't hearing. He needed to make her see that they were over. He loved Michonne. He wanted Michonne. He missed her beyond words these past few weeks – their talks, deep and frivolous, their flirty texts, their love making.

Many of nights he'd awaken, heated and agog, desperately needing her, wanting her, so close to calling her just to talk, but he'd fiercely restrained himself and refrained from dialing her up, because it was what she'd asked of him. Nonetheless he'd not remained idle. In the time they'd been apart he'd consulted with his lawyer regarding his options with Lori refusing to grant him the divorce and the man had informed him that the only option would be to go to court, which unfortunately would delay the divorce further. Rick didn't want a delay. He wanted this over, yesterday. He couldn't spend another who knows how many more months away from Michonne. Her call earlier in the day had solidified this.

For it had been exhilarating, yet heartbreaking. Just talking to her about normal things was nothing short of wonderful, but it hurt so much not to be able to go where they'd been, to completely open up about everything that was going on their lives. There was so much he wanted to share with her about what had happened over the past few weeks. It was nothing life altering, just things, major things, minor things, that were going on with him every day, and he could sense that she wanted to share the same, but most of all he wanted to tell her that Lori was out of his life forever. That they could move forward with their relationship. Soon Rick. Soon. He told himself. He had to believe. No, he WOULD fix this mess, finalize his divorce from Lori and get Michonne back before he lost her. He would do this. Whatever it takes. He vowed to himself just as the tryout/practice wrapped up and Carl ran over to ask how he did, but before Rick could tell him he'd done well, someone beat him to the punch…

" _You did great kid!"_ Shane asserted, interrupting the exchange, as he came on the scene seemingly out of nowhere, drawing an uneasy look from Carl. _"But you still need to work on…"_

" _What the hell are you doing here?"_ Rick stiffly asked as he rose from the bleacher seating to face the man.

" _Like everyone else, watching my so... Carl play ball."_ Shane boldly replied, inciting fury within Rick who calmly turned to his son and instructed him to go grab his coat and bag and told him that he'd meet him out front momentarily. Carl, at first, had been hesitant to go until Rick gave him an assuring look and directed him once more to "go on."

" _You need to stop."_ Rick ordered after returning indignant eyes to Shane.

" _Stop what?"_ Shane retorted, his gaze just as incensed as Rick's.

" _Let me make it clear. You don't belong here."_ Rick seethed.

" _This is a free country and I can be where ever I want to be."_ Shane resentfully countered _"And I choose to be here."_

" _Don't push me Shane."_

"And don't push me!" He harshly retorted. _"I belong here just as much as you."_ He argued. _"I am a father to him, more than you've ever been."_

" _Have you lost your mind?"_ Rick fiercely questioned as he walked up on the man, invading his space. _"You are NOT his father. You'll never be his father. And you keep this up, I will take you down."_

" _Are you threatening me?"_ Shane fumed, holding his stance, showing no fear of Rick.

" _Yeah I am."_ He harshly confirmed. _"You stay away from my son, or you will regret it."_ He warned, then walked away leaving a livid and crazed Shane looking on.

* * *

15 minutes later

The drive home from the practice/tryout was quiet, save for the heavy rain that now pounded the windshield. Rick glanced over at Carl and noticed that his son's gaze was focused out the window, staring into the darkness, at nothing…

" _You okay?"_ Rick asked his son, prompting Carl to turn his eyes from the window and on to him.

" _I'm ready."_ Carl nervously stated into the quiet.

" _Ready for what?"_ Rick questioned, perplexity in his tone.

" _Ready to talk, about what happened, the morning of the fire."_ Carl answered in a small voice, turning his eyes back out the dark window.

" _Are you sure?"_ Rick asked, wondering what could've prompted Carl to want to speak about something that had frightened him for weeks, but became faintly alarmed when he logically concluded that his need to talk about the fire was related to Shane showing up at the practice/tryout.

" _Yes."_ Carl exhaled.

" _Ok."_ Rick sighed, anticipation and curiosity growing within him. _"Tell me what happened."_ He carefully directed. _"Start with what you were doing before the fire."_

" _I woke…just as Uncle…just as Uncle Shane, was leaving the house."_ Carl revealed with difficulty.

" _Shane was at the house that morning?"_ Rick queried, keeping his tone calm even as anger burned within him at his suspicion being confirmed that Lori had indeed been screwing Shane, which explained his increasing obsession with her and Carl.

" _Yes."_ Carl admitted with forced courage. _"He… was sneaking out, like he always does. So, I wouldn't see."_ He sadly, innocently stated. " _He'd wanted to stay, but mom said no. She always says no."_

" _Then what happened?"_ Rick inquired after pulling into the driveway of their home and turning the car off.

" _I went back to sleep."_

" _For how long?"_

" _I don't know. Not long."_ He said in a small voice that was etched with frustration.

" _It's okay son."_ Rick encouraged _. "What happened when you woke that time?"_

" _I…I got up to go to the bathroom_ …" Carl continued. _"… and then, to get a bowl of cereal. I fixed a bowl… then I, went downstairs to watch TV... then…then, I smelled smoke."_ He stated with fear and unease, then stopped speaking.

" _It's okay, just take your time."_ Rick softly uttered, comforting his son, who remained quiet for a few moments before continuing.

" _When I smelled the smoke…I…I put down my bowl of cereal, and went up the stairs, to find where it was coming from, but… when I got to the top… and touched the handle of the door, it was hot."_ He shakily explained. _"I remembered what you always told me about hot door handles…so I turned around. But then smoke, started coming under the door and making it hard to breathe."_ Carl conveyed with a hint of panic in his voice, then stopped his account once more, compelling Rick to reassure him again, not just with words, but gently squeezing his shoulder. _"I got scared…really scared."_ He unevenly disclosed. _"So I ran back down the stairs, and when I got to the bottom step I tripped…then I woke up in the hospital."_ He concluded, then heavily sighed as if a weight had been lifted from his mind.

" _You did good."_ Rick stated as he held Carl's uncertain gaze. _"Now, do you think you can answer a couple of more questions for me?"_ He then asked. Carl took another deep breath and nodded his head. _"When you went into the kitchen to get the bowl of cereal, did you see, or hear anything strange?"_ Rick thoughtfully posed. Carl sat quiet for what seemed like ages, his eyes closed as if he was picturing that morning in his mind, then spoke…

" _I smelled…cigarettes."_ He slowly declared. "Uncle Shane's cigarettes." He said with realization as he looked towards his father, but Rick gave nothing away, successfully keeping his poker face on, thinking how Shane didn't regularly smoke, but occasionally did light up when he was vexed or stressed.

" _Did you see the cigarettes in the house that he smoked, on the counter? In the trash?"_

" _No sir."_ Carl answered. _"Nothing."_ He said. Rick thought about the implication in what Carl had said, what had been found by the Fire Marshall during the investigation. The timing was right. Who else would've been standing at the back of the house near the deck at that hour to drop a lit cigarette on the dry grass and add an accelerant to ensure a flame would catch? Who else but Shane Walsh? But could he really do this? Rick quietly questioned in disbelief. Would he actually do this? Was he so insane and obsessed with Lori that he'd pull such a dangerous stunt?

" _Dad, I'm scared."_ Carl suddenly, shakily confessed, drawing Rick's eyes back to him. _"I'm scared of Uncle Shane."_

" _Don't be scared."_ Rick gently stated, again supportively squeezing his son's shoulder, while holding his anxious gaze. _"I'm here. And I will protect you. I promise you. Everything is going to be alright."_ He vowed, inciting a relieved nod and sigh from his son. 'Because I'm going to fix this.' He determinedly pledged to himself. 'I'm going to fix this mess, once and for all.'


	19. An Attempt to Deceive

**Happy New Year everyone! I know we're already 14 days in but I still had to say it. :)**

 **As always, thank you all for reading and responding!**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Michonne had spent the last two hours going over the changes she'd made to the marketing strategy related to the project she was managing for the firm in which Mike worked. She had met with him, Mr. Sterling and other individuals at the company regarding those changes and the next phase of the campaign. The meeting had gone well, but she was glad that it was over, that she'd gotten through it without falling ill. She thought with relief as she barely listened to Mike who was walking at her side, talking at first about work, then suggesting they go to dinner, which she planned to reject, for many reasons. The main one being, she felt like hell. She didn't know if she was trying to come down with the flu or if she was suffering because it was that time of the month. She was cramping significantly more than usual, felt a little feverish, extremely nauseous, exhausted and at times faint. It was probably a combination of her period and stress, giving her body shit, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more serious going on.

Maybe she should make an appointment with the doctor to get checked out, make sure she was okay. She mused, then briefly wondered if her sinus infection from weeks ago had returned, then logically concluded that her symptoms were not that at all. She was going to have to visit the doctor to get to the bottom her peaked feelings, but when would she have time? She realized. She was supposed to fly to New York later in the week and Seattle on Monday. The New York trip was to meet with some of the lead executives at the firm in which Mike worked. His business proposition had been intriguing to say the least. He'd stated that his company was looking to hire an Art Director to head their Special Campaigns Division. Though they already had a small internal marketing department that handled general promotions for the company, they out sourced the big, more creative campaigns to firms like the one in which she worked. However, they'd decided to staff a more robust creative team, internally to save money. The individual in the Art Director role would head creative campaigns and direction for North America East and Europe. It would be a huge step up in her career, with excellent benefits and pay and Mike had the power to make it happen.

She'd asked him why he'd help her this way after everything that had happened between them, and he'd earnestly replied that he thought she'd be the best person for the job. He knew that the opportunity was her dream. He'd said, and he was right. It was the chance of a lifetime. However, there were drawbacks – Mike, Rick and the location. Being as Mike was the Senior Director of the Special Projects division, they'd have to work very closely together on a daily basis. She didn't know if she was comfortable with that, due to the past she and Mike shared.

Furthermore, the job would only be based in Atlanta for a few months before she'd eventually have to make the move to New York. She loved New York, but she loved Atlanta more and always wanted to build her future there. Additionally, the position would be 75% travel which was more than what she was currently doing. She didn't mind being on the road sometimes or occasionally at 75% when required, but she didn't know if she'd wanted to be living out of a suitcase, which would in reality be the gist of the job. Lastly, there was Rick. Her heart ached, wanting and missing him so much. It had been weeks and still there had been no change with his situation and no indication as to when his divorce might commence and be finished.

She wanted to keep waiting, to give him time to sort out the mess with his life, after all, it had only been 5-6 weeks, but how long would that take? How long until he was finally free of his ex? And how long was she supposed to wait when her life was moving forward and with an amazing opportunity such as the one presented by Mike? Her heart wanted to wait forever, for it was still deeply connected to Rick, to the memory of the ease in which they'd lived those three days he'd stayed with her when he was in Atlanta, how he'd touched and awaken something powerful and indescribable within her. How he could intrigue her, make her laugh and stir her with fire all in the same moment. She wanted to wait for him, as long as it took, but her head said 'no.' 'Move on. Live your life. Take this opportunity.'

So that's what she'd done. She'd thought about it for a few days, then made her decision. Telling Mike to make it happen and if his firm was interested, she'd be more than happy to meet with them. It pained her to make that choice, gutted her more than she was prepared for, made her feel as if she was defying the intuition at the core of her soul, because of what it meant. That in essence she was giving up on a critical piece of her future, an infinite connection and imitable emotion. She was giving up on Rick Grimes, which a large part of her still vehemently denied. Even if the job worked out with the firm in New York, she and Rick still had a chance. She'd told herself. People did long distance relationships all the time and made them work. Hell, the first three months of her and Rick's courtship was long distance. Thus they could do this. She'd forced herself to concluded, overriding her disagreeing heart. If it came to that, they could still have a viable relationship with him in Georgia and her in New York.

Mike had made his recommendation, per her request, and the firm had quickly followed up asking for her portfolio, references from former firms at which she'd worked and clients whose projects she'd headed. After confirming her talent and work ethic, they'd become very interested and wanted to meet with her immediately. Hence her planned trip to New York. Though she didn't feel up to making that trip at all, not with the way she currently felt, perhaps she would feel better later in the week, by then her cycle would be over. Therefore, the unusual cramps and nausea she was experiencing would hopefully be done. And if it wasn't, she was strong enough to get through it. After all she'd been getting through this week and had just gotten through a two-hour meeting without giving any indication of how she was feeling.

Though she'd rather be 100% for her interview in New York, she could get through it and still manage to wow them with her professionalism, personality and talent. She attempted to convince herself within, when she felt a strong wave of nausea, telling her otherwise and a stifling warmth making her feel unsteady on her feet. She could still hear Mike's voice, but it was no longer clear. It seemed to be floating to her in a haze that she fearfully grasped had become her mind. He was asking her if she was alright, and she tried to answer that she was, that everything was fine. However, before she could fix her mouth to speak, she felt herself slipping, further away, unable to control it, until she felt what seemed like the floor quickly coming up to meet her.

* * *

For the first time in weeks Rick finally felt like he was getting his life back in control. The information Carl had provided on his mother and the morning of the fire had changed things for him, gave him some kind of recourse in dealing with Lori and her insistence that they remain together. Over the past week and a half, he'd been able to specifically research Carl's recollection of what had happened and learned that the brand of cigarettes found at the scene was the same brand smoked by Shane, but it was a common brand. Thus it could be argued that anyone could've dropped the cigarette buds there. He'd also learned from a neighbor that Shane's truck was at the house the night before the fire, but hadn't appeared again until the next morning, after the fire had started. _"And thank God too."_ The neighbor Rick questioned had said. _"He came just in time to rescue Lori and Carl."_ Just in time and maybe too convenient, Rick had thought.

Nonetheless, he still couldn't wrap his mind around Shane setting the fire. He might be obsessed with Lori and Carl but would he really chance their lives to try and endear himself to them? Anything could've gone wrong, making it impossible for him to save Lori and Carl. Would he take that risk? It didn't make sense. Even with what seemed like circumstances pointing to him. Whatever happened, Rick didn't think he'd ever have enough evidence to prove Shane did or didn't do it. Just like there was evidence that pointed to his former friend, it could also be strongly disputed.

Still, Rick didn't let that discourage him. He might not be able to conclusively tie the fire to Shane, but he could get him and Lori out of his life. In addition to investigating the fire, he'd also looked into his ex's affair with his former friend and found the evidence he needed to prove that she'd been involved with him for months. However, he was not yet ready to move on what he'd found. There were a few things he need to get in place, to confirm first, but he'd be ready soon, within the next few days. In the meantime, he'd stepped up his protection of Carl. He'd informed Lori about Shane's obsession with her and their son and warned her to stay away from him, but she'd found his caution absurd. Even when he'd told her of Carl's expressed fear of Shane, she'd argued that it was his attempt at reconciling their family by vilifying the man whom all his life he'd known as "uncle." Furthermore, she'd found his warning sweet, and accused him of being jealous of her "friendship" with Shane.

At that point, Rick had abandoned the conversation and determined that only he could protect his son. So, moving forward he'd made sure Carl had limited time alone with Lori, fearing that she wouldn't heed his warning. He was there for every outing and nearly every drop off and pick up from school, and just as he suspected, Shane continued to show up to Carl's sporting events, even sometimes "happening" by the school when he was waiting to be picked up, offering to give him a ride home. The latter of which had been the last straw. Rick was done with threatening and arguing with Shane.

It was time he took action. Thus he'd filed an official complaint with Sheriff Bratton, figuring if something went down, if Shane further crossed the line, he wanted on record what the man had been up to. Additionally, he hoped the threat of what such a charge could potentially do to Shane's position with the Sheriff's department would get him to wake up, to back off his irrational behavior. Surprisingly, the Sheriff had informed him that lately he'd received other grievances against Shane, most notably his overly aggressive behavior in the field. The man had assured him that all these issues would be addressed including his complaint about Shane stalking his son, and as a result, Rick had been tensely waiting for the consequences – Shane's fury.

However, right now, his mind was heavily on Michonne. She was always with him, stirring his heart, his thoughts, making him yearn to see her, to just talk, but today was different. The yearning went deeper, igniting him with an intense urging to speak with her, to hear her voice. They hadn't spoken in nearly two weeks, since she'd called him unexpectedly. After which, they'd text here and there, having limited correspondence. Their communications merely consisting of asking how the other had been, with an occasional, painful admission of missing one another. But nothing more, not even phone calls, which had been more brutal than the time they'd not communicated right after the break up.

Rick wanted so much to call her to tell her he was so close, they were so close to having what they wanted, a chance at building something together, but he wanted to be sure. He wanted all to be clear, for nothing and no one to be standing in their way before telling her he could give her what they both wanted and she deserved. Yet and still the pull was so strong, to reach out to her, to talk to her about everything and nothing - work, her personal activities, what she thought about the shocking election, what her plans were for Thanksgiving. Was she going to D.C. to endure her parents? Or did she plan to remain in Atlanta? He also wanted to share the happenings in his life. Not only did he want her to know of the progress he was making towards the divorce, but how much closer he and Carl had become. How he was making great strides in healing from the trauma that was the fire. He wanted to discuss the latest Marvel movie, Dr. Strange and tell her he was tapering off his consumption of red meat – somewhat, but most importantly he wanted to know if she was happy and well.

He missed her, desperately. For he felt bound to her in such a fathomless and profound way, that to not have her apart of his life on a daily basis, left a hollow ache within him. He loved her, more than he probably should for just the short time he'd known her. But that's what it was, love, that he couldn't fight and didn't want to. She was an essential part of him as he knew in the deepest depths of his being that he was the same to her. Yet, he'd respected her wishes, and not initiated a call, not succumb to the desire in his heart to reach out to her. However, today was the exception. There was a strangeness permeating the day, driving him with a need to reach out to her, to make sure she was okay, to hear her say it. Hesitating no longer, Rick pulled out his phone and speed dialed Michonne. His heart raced in nervous anticipation as the phone began to ring, his anxiety growing with each jangle when finally, she picked up the call, but the voice that answered wasn't her…

" _I'm sorry. I must have the wrong number."_ He stated with uncertainty, a little surprised at the male voice on the line, wondering if she'd changed her number and not told him.

" _Actually you don't."_ The man said, stopping Rick before he could hang up. _"I presume you're looking for Michonne?"_

" _I am."_ Rick slowly confirmed. _"Who is this?"_

" _Mike Thompson."_ The man answered. _"And who are you?"_

" _You know who I am if you're answering Michonne's phone."_ Rick retorted. _"Where is she?"_

" _Where she belongs, with me."_ Mike stiffly replied.

" _You still didn't answer my question."_ Rick persisted, completely baffled and put off. What was the man doing with Michonne? Why did he have her phone? He questioned within. Was she unable to get the phone and instead asked Mike to pick it up? But that wasn't her. He knew. She would never ask someone else to answer her phone. If she couldn't pick it up herself, she was fine with it going to voicemail. Thus something was off. Was she in trouble? Had something happened? Had the man done something to her? He pondered with alarm. Then calmed himself by logically deducing that if Mike had in anyway hurt Michonne he wouldn't have answered her phone, but something was going on...

" _I don't have to answer anything."_ Mike tartly replied. _But since you insist, I'll tell you. She's …getting more comfortable and waiting for me to join her."_

" _That's a lie."_ Rick scoffed, his fury growing, with a hint of jealousy at the possibility, even though he knew the man was attempting deceit.

" _Is it?"_ Mike countered. _"Michonne and I were together for four years. Did you really think it'd be so easy for her to walk away from me?"_ He boasted with a harshness that betrayed what should've been no more than a confident response that was edged with irritation _. "You saw how she left your, romantic dinner to run after me."_ He pointed out. _"It's over man. You were just a means to an end, an end to get over me, but she's realized that was imposs…"_

" _You're full of shit."_ Rick rebuked, cutting off Mike's rant. _"See I know how you've pulled this shit before."_ He revealed. " _Lying to yourself, lying to everyone around you, pretending that you and Michonne were still together, but you don't fool me. I know the game you're playing, and you'll lose."_

" _I don't need to play a game because Michonne is with me!"_ Mike claimed with anger. _"She's always with me."_

" _If that's true then why did you pick up the phone?"_ Rick question with his own chagrin. _"Why the need to brag about what you're supposedly doing?"_

" _Because you need to know that she's done with you. That you never had chance."_ He contended. _"And that she's back where she belongs, with me and ain't shit you can do about it."_ He acridly declared, then disconnected the call.

* * *

" _Shit!"_ Rick seethed, as he held tightly to his phone, doing everything in his power not to chuck it in furor to the ground. He was not only angry, but worried, knowing that something was wrong, unable to stop himself from the futility of calling her phone again, but just like he knew would happen, there was no answer. Not knowing what to do next, he left a brief voicemail, asking her to call him, wondering if she'd get it or if it'd be deleted with Mike being in possession of her cell. Rick stood staring at his phone, agonizing at what to do next, cursing Mike, cursing the situation, frustrated by the bullshit that had pushed him out of Michonne's life and opened the door for Mike to be close to her again. He knew she was done with Mike, that she hadn't rekindled her relationship with him. Nonetheless, he still didn't like the idea of the man hanging around with his lies and no doubt romantic gestures. Rick thought with exasperation, when he was ripped from his rumination by the sound of his name being called with rage.

" _You report me to the Sheriff?!"_ Rick heard Shane yell as he looked the man's way and found him stalking in his direction. Rick turned his full attention on to Shane, hardening his stance and answered in stern ire...

" _Yeah I did."_

" _You've gone too far!"_ Shane angrily accused as he came upon him.

" _And you went too far when you kept stalking my son."_ Rick alleged with scorn.

" _I have a right to be in his life!"_

" _Says who? Who gives you the right to my son?"_ Rick severely challenged. _"Lori?!"_

" _You!"_ Shane bit back. _"Do you remember that Rick? Do you remember how many times you've thanked me for being there for Lori, and for Carl, how many times you told me that they needed me?"_

" _I remember Shane."_ Rick admitted. _"But that was before you decided that my family, my son was yours."_ He sharply proclaimed. _"When did that change Shane? When you kissed Lori? When you started fucking her?"_ He charged, for the first time blatantly seeing the wrath and envy in his former friend's eyes. _"What has she been telling you Shane? That I'm a shitty father, whose holding her hostage in this marriage?"_ He asked. _"That only you can save her from me, save my son?"_

" _You don't know what I have with Lori!"_ Shane bitterly retorted as he stepped closer to Rick, his glare tumultuous with rage, his fists now clenched at his sides, doing nothing to deter Rick who was just as enraged and was more than ready for anything the man thought he was going to do to him and thus continued to indignantly challenge his absurdity...

" _No. I do know."_ He contended, holding the man's livid stare. _"I think you've been coveting her since I introduced you in college. You coveted her and now because you're fucking her you think you can be me. You think you can step in as husband and father and take my life, well you're delusional, because Lori is playing you. You will never be what she really wants and you will never be a father to my son!"_ Rick fiercely schooled which provoked Shane's temper to explode, driving him to lunge at him with an uncontrollable wrath, that ignited into a violent clash.

* * *

Michonne slowly came to, and was instantly overwhelmed with heavy limbs and a foggy mind, wondering what the hell happened. When gradually she recalled the last time she was coherent and awake. Mike was walking her to the elevator at his office after her project meeting with him and his colleagues. Panic and nausea hit her all at once as her eyes snapped open, taking in her surroundings as she attempted to sit up, but the pain in her abdomen, drove her to moderate her quick movement.

" _You're okay."_ She heard Mike state, his voice surprising her for she'd not noticed he was in the room. _"You're in the hospital_." He said.

" _What happened?"_ Michonne questioned with alarm, after successfully conquering, for the moment, the nausea that was threatening to overtake her.

" _You fainted."_ Mike said. _"We had to call an ambulance."_

" _We?"_

" _You were at my office."_ He explained. _"I was walking you to the elevator. Do you not remember this?"_ He asked with concern.

" _It's coming back to me."_ She softly declared, sighing as she brought her hand to her head, remembering more of what happened. How she'd been semi-conscious after hitting the floor and how the voices and movement around her seemed to be filtered through a tunnel. Suddenly she felt shame at collapsing that way at a client site, worried about the negative impact it could have. Had it gotten back to her job? Did her boss know? She silently asked herself as dread grew within her. The last thing she needed, on top of everything else, was an overreaction to what was clearly just stress and maybe a touch of the flu, getting the better of her. _"This is too much."_ She nearly huffed with irritation as she moved to get out of bed. _"I don't need to be in a hospital."_

" _Chonne no!"_ Mike asserted, standing and stopping her by blocking her from getting up. _"We couldn't wake you up, at least for a minute. Something is wrong."_ He stated with distress.

" _It's nothing."_ She strongly rejected. _"Just stress and me not eating and sleeping enough."_

" _I think it's mo…"_ Mike began to disagree when the doctor entered the room, interrupting his reply.

" _Good. You're awake."_ The man cheerfully exclaimed as he walked up to the bed. _"How are you feeling?"_

" _Fine."_ She lied, not knowing why, since he was the doctor and obviously knew that something was wrong. However, his cheery demeanor had to mean that whatever was going on wasn't serious and likely could've been easily handled by her General Practitioner instead of by an expensive ambulance ride and trip to the ER _. "I just feel a little nauseous and tired."_ She continued, admitting what she thought were relevant symptoms to what she'd deduced was likely stress and a stomach flu. _"I've been under a lot of stress lately which I'm certain is why I'm feeling this way, why I fainted..."_

" _Well, that's likely part of it."_ The doctor interjected, looking at his chart.

" _What's the other part? The flu?"_ Michonne asked with a hint of trepidity, thinking she really didn't want to be sick, hoping this was something she could vanquish in a few days.

" _Hardly Ms. Mitchell."_ The man responded his lively tone turning serious. _"You're pregnant."_


	20. The Situation

**Thanks everyone for the reading and responding!**

 **Chapter Twenty**

The words _"You're pregnant"_ hung in the air, then seemed to drop on Michonne like a ton of bricks, shocking and baffling her. Surely she'd hadn't heard the doctor correctly. She tried to reason with herself, but the looks on the doctor and Mike's faces destroyed her reasoning. Michonne suddenly felt sick and scared, then a flush of heat, nearly overwhelming her with lightheadedness. She lay back on the bed, closing her eyes, swallowing back the nausea, willing the faint feeling to fade, before she finally managed to speak, asking Mike to leave, confusing the doctor. Mike was reluctant to go, but Michonne strongly made her request again, staring him down, stopping short of ordering him to leave when he complied, leaving the room.

" _What do you mean I'm pregnant?"_ Michonne asked the doctor, after the door closed behind Mike. _"That can't be right."_

" _We ran the test twice to be sure Ms. Mitchell. You're about 5-6 weeks pregnant."_

" _That's not possible."_ She disputed. _"I'm on the pill."_

" _Were you taking it consistently?"_

" _Yes."_ Michonne contended without hesitation. Though her schedule was busy, she always took her birth control religiously. _"I take it like clockwork, every morning before my shower. I never skip a day."_

" _Have you had any surgeries over the past few weeks?"_ The doctor then asked.

" _No."_

" _Have you recently taken any ant-viral medications or treatments for an infection?"_

" _I was on antibiotics about a month ago for a sinus infection."_

" _Then that's your culprit."_ The doctor declared. _"Many antibiotics have been known to interfere with the effectiveness of birth control."_ He revealed, reminding Michonne of something she'd read years ago, unknowingly upsetting her more. She'd been finishing up her antibiotics when Rick was visiting. She'd been taking her last dose that first day, and that day was the only time they'd made love without protection.

" _That still can't be right."_ She continued to deny. _"I'm…on my period."_

" _Many women have some bleeding during their first trimester of pregnancy..."_

" _But not like this."_ She interjected, still not wanting to believe that she was pregnant.

" _You're right."_ The doctor confirmed. _"We did an ultrasound and found that you have a subchorionic hemorrhage, which is what's causing the pain and bleeding."_

" _What's that?"_ Michonne inaudible asked, still in shock about what she was learning, reluctantly starting accept her diagnosis.

" _It's_ _the accumulation of blood within the folds between the uterus and_ _the placenta that attaches the egg to the uterine wall. It can cause light to heavy spotting."_ He disclosed. _"Most subchorionic bleeds resolve on their own, and women go on to have perfectly healthy pregnancies._ _However, the one we detected in your uterus is slightly more severe than what we usually see, which will account for the intense pain and bleeding you're having. As a result, I'm going to recommend you take bed rest for at least the next three weeks, to start off …"_

" _Three weeks?!"_ Michonne exclaimed, now thinking of the ramifications of being out of work for such a long period of time.

" _This will provide your body with the time needed for the placenta to hopefully he…"_

" _I can't be on bed rest for three weeks."_ She rejected. _"I have a life, work responsibilities, clients, projects…"_

" _Well you're going to have to put that on hold."_ The doctor sternly instructed. _"Otherwise, you could lose this baby."_ He said. _"Do you have an OBGYN?"_

" _I do."_ Michonne quietly replied, dropping her eyes, finding this all so unbelievable, then provided her OBGYN's name.

" _Okay. I'll send your ultrasound over to her."_ He said as he wrote down her doctor's name. _"I recommend you do a follow up appointment with her immediately. Also, if you continue to encounter pain while on bedrest, you can take Tylenol. And of course, if the bleeding and pain gets worse, go to the emergency room."_ He advised. _"Do you have any more questions for me?"_ When Michonne didn't answer the doctor continued. _"There's two Tylenol on the stand next to your bed that you should take. It'll help with the pain."_ He directed. _"I'll get your discharge papers and you'll be on your way home within the hour."_ The man said, then left the room.

Michonne did as the man instructed and took the Tylenol, while replaying those amazing three days with Rick in her mind. How one of those days, the one day they'd not used a condom, there had been a perfect storm within her body that had created…this situation. She emotionally thought, feeling terribly conflicted about having what someday she wanted, a child with the man that she loved, but not ready for this, not wanting it in this moment. With everything that was going on with work, the opportunity she had with the firm in New York and with her and Rick being broken up, the last thing she needed in her life right now was to be pregnant. Furthermore, it was too soon for this, even if she and Rick were together. It was too soon for them to be embarking on the huge commitment that was a child. They'd just started dating and were now, already broken up due to his wife being in the way.

" _Fuck."_ Michonne silently sighed in frustration, angry at herself for not being more diligent in understanding the risks of the antibiotics she was taking, how the medicine would affect her birth control, but when she'd started the antibiotics she wasn't sleeping with anyone. So there was no concern about how it would affect the contraceptive she used. She mused in disbelief, when she heard the door to her room open, prompting her to look up just as Mike entered.

" _Chonne, you okay?"_ He asked after coming to stand at the end of the bed.

" _Yeah."_ She uttered, no longer looking his way.

" _The doctor said you should be released within the hour."_ He cautiously stated, but she still remained quiet, her eyes ahead. _"Chonne, I know this is all a shock. I can see it on your face."_ He said. _"I'm shocked, and I know that you're still trying to process this news, but I have to ask…is the baby mine?"_

* * *

Rick and Shane collided with an intense violence, struggling against the feral in each other, driven by vengeance and ire, until Shane got the upper hand, shoving Rick into the nearby police car, punching him in the face, briefly incapacitating him, before he came at him again. However, Rick quickly regained his faculties and rolled away, just in enough time to miss another assault. Propelling himself off the car, he then came back at Shane, smashing him in the face, then in the stomach while pushing him against the side of the car, pinning him there, when his former friend fiercely struck back. Shane kneed him in the stomach while driving him away, then again slugged him in the face, nearly knocking him to the ground and moved to come for him once more, but Rick managed his pain and was ready, meeting Shane head on, forcing him back, before throwing another punch, that was weak due to the agony in his gut.

Nonetheless, it did the job, slowing Shane down and giving Rick a chance to fleetingly recover, before he pounced again, going on the offensive, pummeling Shane, relentlessly smashing him with his fist, until the man somehow regained a hint of his bearings and fought back, managing to land and unsuspecting blow on Rick, which in turn leveled the fight, heightened their fury and incited a ferocious battle of wills between them, that for an instant Shane won. Restraining Rick against a cruiser, he managed to clench his hands around Rick's throat, attempting to choke the breath from his lungs. His eyes were malevolent with rage, devastating and terrifyingly to Rick, whose furor and fortitude fueled his strength, granting him the ability to lift his knee and ram it into Shane's groin. The man instantly let go, groaning in anguish and wrath, giving Rick the opportunity to catch his breath when he just happened to turn his eyes to his former friend, watching and ready for him to attempt to resume the fight and was stunned to find him struggling to do the unthinkable. But by then, their colleagues and friends - other officers, had arrived on the scene and fiercely ordered Shane to stand down.

* * *

" _What?!"_ Michonne uttered in shock, _turning_ her eyes to Mike, frowning at his absurd question. _"Why would you think…it's yours?"_ She asked. _"We haven't been together in months."_

" _You're not answering my question."_ Mike declared with a hint of exasperation. _"Chonne I know that you don't want children right now, but if this is my child…"_

" _Stop! Just stop!"_ She angrily interjected. _"It's not yours!"_

" _Are you sure?"_

" _Yes!"_ Michonne exclaimed with irritation.

" _Is it his?"_ Mike then asked with frustration and hurt.

" _I won't discuss this with you."_ Michonne severely replied.

" _Chonne…"_

" _You should go."_

" _You'll be released at anytime. I'm not leaving you here alone to try and figure out how to get home."_ Mike firmly spurned her request.

" _I'll manage."_ She stated then slowly moved to exit the bed.

" _Chonne."_

" _Mike. You have to stop."_ She sighed as she now sat on the side of the bed, still feeling a bit weak and nauseous, but at least the Tylenol was kicking in which was reducing the pain.

" _I know."_ He sadly concurred, drawing her to turn surprised eyes to him, his words calming her irritation. _"But I still love you, and I want to help."_ He then softly added.

" _There's nothing you can do."_ Michonne rejected.

" _There's plenty I can do."_ He earnestly countered. _"But for now, let me at least take you home. Please Chonne."_ Michonne remained quiet, pondering his request, weighing her options. Her car was still at his office building. Uber wasn't an option, and she was not going to call one of her friends to pick her up. She couldn't deal with all of the questions they'd undoubtedly have. She just needed to get out of there. To get home where she could be alone and sort this all out in her head, and Mike was the simplest option for doing that.

" _Ok."_ She tiredly conceded, even though she really just wanted to decline his assistance, not wanting to encourage his feelings. _"But can you also do something else for me?"_

" _Anything."_

" _Don't tell anyone what you've learned here today."_ She stated, holding his gaze. _"No one can know my situation."_

" _Chonne, what are you going to do?"_ Mike asked with concern.

" _Are you going to keep it secret or not?"_

" _You know I will."_ He vowed. _"But I'm worried for you."_

" _Don't be."_ She said.

" _You can't do this alone."_

" _I didn't say I was."_

" _I don't see…him, anywhere."_ He challenged, his tone bitter, revealing the anger he'd so skillfully hidden up until that point.

" _Mike"_

" _I'm sorry."_ He then quickly, gently apologized upon hearing Michonne's displeased response. For a moment she didn't reply to his remorse, for she was observing the turmoil within him that he was trying now so hard to press down, knowing that she shouldn't get him involved, but right now she needed him, at the very least, to help her keep this situation quiet.

" _If anyone asks…"_ She then slowly began reminding him of what was most important to her right now. What she needed him to do without fail. " _what happened today, just tell them I have a severe case of the flu."_

" _Whatever you want me to say, I'll say it."_ He agreed.

" _Thank you."_


	21. The Conversation

**There were lots of passionate responses to the last chapter and quite a few opposing opinions. It's always great to read different perspectives on how the characters are being interpreted in this story.**

 **However, I would like to address some of the consensus that thought Michonne was stupid for trusting Mike. From Michonne's perspective Mike has for the most part been a good friend. She does not know what the audience knows about his outrageous behavior towards Rick. With their history, maybe he wasn't the best person from whom she should've accepted help, but she was in complete shock after learning she was pregnant. Mike was there. She's known him for years and as far as we know he has always shown himself to be genuinely supportive, which is why she allowed him, albeit reluctantly, to help her.**

 **All that said, thank you all for reading and reviewing, most especially those who continue to be invested in this journey despite what has been a challenging few chapters for Rick and Michonne. I really appreciate the support.**

 **Now, on with the story...**

 **Chapter Twenty-one**

Michonne finished up her conference call, then spent 20 minutes updating the project notes, before sending a copy to the client and her boss. She was about to continue on with other work that needed to get done when Sasha appeared in the doorway of her home office, giving her the side eye. She asked her friend to give her five more minutes, that there was one more email she needed to send, then she'd join her in the kitchen for dinner.

Sasha had wanted to protest; Michonne knew by the look on her friend's face, but instead she reluctantly accepted her reply then retreated from the doorway. It had been a strange 8-days since Michonne had learned of her situation. After her visit to the hospital, Mike had taken her home and had attempted to stay, to be an ear for her to air her troubles or to just take care of her, but she hadn't allowed it. She'd thanked him again for his help, made him leave and had continued to keep him at bay on the numerous occasions he'd called or asked to come by, wanting to make sure she was alright. She knew he still loved her and appreciated his concern, but she didn't want to give him the impression that there was a chance for them to reconcile by granting him full access to her life again.

After a few days, he'd gotten the point and backed off. However, he'd still sent a prepared meal basket from Harry and David's, which she'd barely eaten due to, at the time, persistent nausea, and a basket of fresh fruit. He'd also kept his promise. Keeping secret her condition and spreading the word, when asked, that she'd fainted due to a terrible case of the flu and had been at home recovering. She'd done her part as well. Acting quickly before news got back to her office and worse her boss about her being taken by ambulance from a client site to the emergency room. She'd called her boss on the way home from the hospital, and told the woman what had happened and her diagnosis - that she had the flu. She later provided her with a note she'd gotten from the ER doctor stating that she needed to be out of the office for the next several days.

Her boss hadn't been thrilled with the news, who would be? But she understood the situation couldn't be helped. As a result, the woman had temporarily taken some of her workload, which included her planned trip to Seattle. Michonne had also regrettably cancelled her interview with the executives at the firm in New York, again citing the flu. Thankfully they were completely understanding as well and had already rescheduled the meeting for early December.

From there, she'd followed the ER doctor's orders and got an appointment with her OBGYN. Her OB had confirmed that she did have a subchorionic hemorrhage and had also stated that she should probably be on bedrest for several weeks, which Michonne had vehemently rejected, citing her work and life responsibilities. However, the doctor had clarified her statement, saying that bedrest didn't mean she needed to remain flat on her back for the next few weeks, but that instead she needed to significantly reduce her activities. The doctor had recommended she stay off her feet for the first week as a precaution. She should then come in for a follow up appointment to monitor her healing. If the hemorrhage looked to have improved, resulting in the pain completely abating and minimal bleeding, she could return to work the following week. But only if she was working on a reduced schedule, with limited time on her feet.

Michonne had accepted that recommendation with relief and had spent the first five days completely off her feet, getting up to do nothing except to shower, go to the restroom, pull some files from her office and grab something to eat out the fridge, when she could stand food. She'd also informed Sasha and Bob of her predicament. They'd been helpful in getting her car back to the condo from Mike's office building and were the only friends she trusted to keep what she was dealing with quiet. Sasha had been shocked, because Michonne was always so careful not to end up in a situation like this. Nevertheless, she'd quickly gotten past the unexpected news and immediately jumped into support mode. Since learning about the pregnancy, she'd stopped by the condo nearly every day to bring her food so she wouldn't have to be on her feet cooking and to just keep her company.

They hadn't talked much about the situation because Michonne wasn't yet ready to have a deep conversation with anyone about it, not even one of her closest friends. For she was still having difficulty accepting the situation herself, and despite her bedrest had distracted herself with work, offline at first – mostly reviewing her projects, researching potentially new clients and adding ideas to her existing campaigns, in between sleeping which now always seemed to be welcomed, before she'd returned to nearly full-time hours the past three days, now not only working on projects and courting potential clients, but managing her work emails and taking some conference calls. Work had been exactly the medicine she needed to keep her from focusing on her situation and going stir crazy from being confined to her condo.

Furthermore, the bed rest had seemed to help tremendously with the issues she'd been having. The bleeding and cramps had nearly completely abated, even her nausea was now confined to the mornings and not as severe. Thus she planned to return to the office on Monday. She had an appointment the following day, with Dr. Robinson, her OB, to see if she was cleared to return to work, but viewed it as a formality. With her feeling mostly like herself again, she saw no reason to delay getting back to her life. Yet and still, the question she'd been avoiding still remained. How she was going to handle this situation. She wouldn't be able to hide what was happening forever. She knew. But would she have to? She'd asked herself.

The truth of the matter was this was the worst time for a baby. This was not the plan she had for her life, to be pregnant and alone. She did have options. But what about Rick? No matter what, he deserved to know what was going on. The thought nagged in the back of her mind. Rick, who she'd somewhat avoided these past few days due to what she was not yet ready to deal with. Strangely, he'd been worried about her. For he'd left a couple of voicemails stating as much and asked her to call him.

He had also text, inquiring to see if she was ok. There had been an urgency to all of his messages, almost as if he could sense that she had a situation that was deeply connected to him, which touched her, yet unnerved her. She had responded to his requests and called, but each time his phone had thankfully gone straight to voicemail. If he'd picked up, she had no idea what she would've said and didn't know if she could've kept what was happening to herself.

Leaving him a voicemail had been painful in that she wanted to talk to him, to just see how he'd been and ached to tell him of her situation, their situation, but another part of her was deeply relieved at not being tested and inevitably broken by his presence of warmth and passion. Thus, she'd left him a voice message with ease, giving him what he wanted and she needed, telling him that she was fine, but had been extremely busy with work. She'd even followed up her voice messages by responding to his texts, expressing the same thing. However, that still hadn't satisfied his inquiries. For he'd followed up her voicemail and texts, with a voicemail and texts of his own, asking her to call him, no matter how early or late, that he just wanted to speak to her, to "hear" her.

It had broken her heart. Tortured her deep, fanned the flames of yearning for him within, but she couldn't respond. She couldn't speak to him, not yet. She wasn't ready. Why? She didn't know. Or maybe she did but like everything lately that was related to Rick she was avoiding it. Michonne drew a deep breath, pushing the heavy thoughts from her mind, then finally logged out of her work VPN. Sighing at the mental exhaustion that was work, yet exhilaration at the exciting challenges it brought. She then left her office, and made her way to the kitchen to join Sasha, who was finishing up what smelled like a delicious pot of pasta with turkey balls and sauce.

" _How are you feeling?"_ Sasha asked briefly looking up from the pot she was tending to on the stove as Michonne walked into the kitchen. _"You know you shouldn't be walking around, or working. You should be resting."_

" _I'm better. You know this."_ Michonne replied, reminding her friend about her symptoms that had significantly decreased.

" _The symptoms may be better, but that still doesn't mean you've healed."_ Sasha countered. _"So you should be taking it easy."_

" _The food smells good."_ Michonne declared, taking a seat at the large marble island, deliberately changing the subject cause she had no desire to get into a debate with Sasha about this again.

" _I know your stomach is still a little sensitive, but I thought I'd try something a little heavier so you can add back some weight."_ She replied, to Michonne's relief accepting the change of subject. _"It'll be good for the baby."_ She added, making her feel uncomfortable. _"You still planning to return to the office on Monday?"_

" _Yeah."_ Michonne confirmed. _"There's so much I need to get done before Thanksgiving."_

" _Have you made an appointment with Dr. Robinson so she can clear you to return to work?"_ Sasha questioned with concern.

" _I have an appointment with her tomorrow."_ She replied, inciting a frustrated look from her friend.

" _So you plan to return to work even though Dr. Robinson has yet to clear you?"_ Sasha deduced with dismay as she sat a bowl of pasta on the vast island before her. _"Chonne you can't do this."_ She then said.

" _Do what? I'm seeing Dr. Robinson tomorrow. She will clear me to return to work and if she doesn't, well I'll deal with it."_

" _You know what I'm talking about."_

" _Can we not talk about this?"_ Michonne strongly requested as she used the nearby wooden utensils to gather a heap of pasta and put it on her plate.

" _No. We can't not talk about this. You can't keep avoiding this situation."_ Sasha pushed.

" _I'm not avoiding this…"_

" _You are!"_ Her friend interjected with frustration. _"Chonne"_ She then sighed, her tone calmer. _"You're working like nothing has happened. Telling your boss that you have the flu. You're not completely on bed rest like the doctor instructed."_ Sasha gently scolded. _"You haven't told Rick. What are you doing? What is your plan? Because you can't go on like this."_

 _"What are your talking about? I haven't left this apartment for 8 days, and while I've been here, I've hardly been on my feet."_ Michonne countered. _"Furthermore_ y _ou talk like I've been 'going on like this' for weeks."_ She continued. _"I just found out I'm…I just found out about my condition a few days ago. I'm still processing."_

" _Chonne you're not processing. You can't even say what your "condition" is. You're in denial."_ Sasha stated with compassion, the realization hitting Michonne hard, unleashing the full gravity of the situation upon her. Michonne sighed and sat back in her chair, while closing her eyes and bringing her hand to her face, suddenly feeling a deep sense of anxiety and strangely tears, which she swallowed back with strength, then spoke…

" _You're right."_ She shakily admitted. _"I've…been in denial."_ She said _. "I'm…pregnant."_ She then stated aloud, the truth being expressed on her tongue nearly making her ill with panic. _"I'm pregnant."_ She forced herself to say again. _"I just feel like I really fucked up, and I never fuck up. You know this."_ She said, now lifting her eyes to meet Sasha's empathetic gaze. _"How did I let this happen?"_ She questioned in a rhetorical tone, but Sasha still answered…

" _You didn't let anything happen. You were on the pill, and the antibiotics fucked you over. It happens."_

" _It wasn't just the antibiotics."_ Michonne cited. _"I was so caught up in Rick, that the first night we slept together, we didn't use any protection, which could've prevented this all together."_

" _Well it happened."_ Sasha voiced with warmth.

" _I know."_ Michonne sighed, closing her eyes once more _. "I don't know what I'm going to do."_

" _Well the first thing you should do is tell Rick."_ Her friend vehemently suggested.

" _That's not an option."_ Michonne instantly rejected, her eyes snapping open, to find Sasha's disapproving stare.

" _Why not?"_

" _He's married, with a divorce nowhere in sight."_ She explained. _"Besides, there's no need for him to know if…"_ She began, then ceased speaking.

" _If what?"_ Sasha asked, when she discerned her implication. _"Are you seriously thinking…"_

" _Sasha, this is not a good time for me to have a baby. In fact, this is the worst possible time."_ Michonne interjected. _"I am in the middle of a huge transition at work, not to mention this once in a lifetime opportunity I could have with the firm in New York."_ She said. _"Then there's Rick…"_ She uttered, then halted her response, shaking her head and dropping her eyes, thinking how much he meant to her, how much she wanted him, how humbling it was, when she looked beyond the poor timing of the situation, that she was carrying their child, her and Rick's child and honestly, nothing would make her happier if the situation were different, but it wasn't. _"In an ideal world, we would be together, having planned this pregnancy and working through this as a couple."_ She continued, returning her eyes to Sasha. _"But the world is not ideal. I am alone and pregnant with a child that I…don't want."_ She struggled to state _._

" _Chonne."_ Sasha sighed in sympathy.

" _At least not right now."_ She clarified. _"A child that I'm not emotionally ready for, and whose father has a life that's completely separate from me."_

" _You are the strongest person I know."_ Sasha seriously stated _. "You're more than emotionally ready for a child and as far as Rick goes, from what you've told me he doesn't want a life separate from you."_ She firmly pointed out. _"He wants you. If he knew you were pregnant…"_

" _I don't want him running back to me because I'm pregnant."_

" _He never left Chonne. He wanted to continue the relationship but you wanted to put things on hold."_ Sasha reminded her.

" _And with good reason."_ Michonne defended. _"His wife and son moved back in with him. He's still married."_

" _He is this baby's father. No matter his situation, no matter your choice, he needs to know what's going on."_

" _I know."_ Michonne conceded. _"But I'm not telling him anything right now."_ She said. _"Not until I figure out what I'm going to do."_

" _You want him back right?"_ Sasha questioned.

" _Of course I do, but the way things are going right now, I don't know if that'll ever happen."_

" _What if it does happen?"_ Sasha played devil's advocate _. "What if he sorts out the mess with his wife and you resume your relationship? What type of impact do you think this is going to have on your relationship if you never tell him about this pregnancy? If you do something…drastic without allowing him to be a part of that decision?"_

" _Sasha I never said I wasn't going to tell him."_ Michonne disputed, even as her heart ached with fear at the thought of this situation destroying a relationship, a future she might have with Rick. She loved her life. She loved the way it was with the challenging and exciting career and the freedom to go and do as she pleased without anything hindering that. And she loved every minute she'd spent with Rick, and the potential of a future with him, but having a child at this moment in her life went against everything she wanted for herself at this time, which she feared would completely conflict with Rick's desires if he knew _. "I just can't tell him right now."_ She concluded with disquiet, due to the conflict raging with her.

" _But if not now, when Chonne?"_ Sasha strongly queried. _"Whatever choice you make about this pregnancy you'll have to make it soon. Rick needs to know as soon as possible, so that he can have time to process and you can make whatever choice together."_ She contended. Her views sensible and affecting and thus fracturing Michonne's resolve _. "You know I'll stand by you no matter what, but I think you should tell him Chonne."_ She reiterated. _"And I don't think you should wait."_

" _I'll tell him."_ Michonne sighed. _"I'll tell him...tomorrow…"_ She quietly uttered as she closed her eyes and released a nervous and fearful breath, surprising her friend. _"I'll tell him after my appointment with Dr. Robinson."_ She vowed.

* * *

Rick sat quiet and focused, waiting for Lori, waiting to do what he'd been wanting to do for months, to force her to sign the divorce papers. After doing some evidence gathering and working with his attorney he'd finally managed to get everything in order and was ready to have the conversation with Lori that he should've had months ago. The conversation that would free him to move on, to pursue what he wanted, which was Michonne, if she'd still have him. He thought with hurt and a hint of uncertainty. His mind drifting to his brief exchange with Mike, his anger rising at what the man had said. Rick knew that Mike was full of shit, that he was trying with his lies to get him to give up on Michonne, but it still didn't stop him from wondering about the situation. What had happened to bring about an opportunity for him to answer Michonne's phone and feel comfortable enough to imply something was happening between them, to not fear the truth getting back to her about what was said? Rick couldn't imagine what had precipitated such a situation. Whatever had happened he couldn't believe that Michonne was back with Mike. She'd told him that she couldn't wait with him, but she would wait for him, and he believed her.

Nonetheless Mike had answered her phone, claiming that they were back together and now she seemed to be avoiding him. For he'd been texting and calling her for days - leaving her voice messages. And though she'd answered, her responses had been extremely vague, disengaging, like she was purposely pulling away. Rick's heart hurt at the thought, the possibility that his time was running out, that he was losing her. She had every right to shut him out considering Lori had moved into his home and as far as she knew there had been no movement with his divorce. Still, he felt like there was something more to her actions, like something was off.

He still felt this powerful need to speak with her, to see her, to make sure she was alright, which was all the more reason for him to end this mess with Lori tonight. He thought with determination. He couldn't pursue what was happening with Michonne, get her to renew their relationship until he could state to her that he'd legally severed his marriage to Lori. Anything less than that would be unfair, not only to her, to them, but any chance they'd have at a relationship that was uninhibited. The opening front door drew Rick from his thoughts, alerting him to Lori's arrival. Seconds later he heard her enter the house and called for him and Carl. Rick immediately responded, stepping into the small foyer to let her know that he was in the living room and asked that she join him.

" _Where's Carl?"_ She asked, following him into the room.

" _He's at Morgan's. He's doing a sleepover with Duane."_ Rick replied, recalling how he'd spoken with their son earlier that evening about what he planned to do. Carl wasn't ready for their marriage to be over. He'd never be ready, for they were his parents and had been together as long as he could remember, but he understood why this had to happen and that there was no chance of reconciliation.

" _On a school night?"_ Lori queried disapprovingly as she lightly tossed her bag on the couch then turned to face him. _"I didn't agree to that."_

" _I didn't want him here for this discussion."_ Rick seriously answered.

" _What discussion?"_

" _About you moving out."_ He stated.

" _What are you talking about?"_ Lori asked, her tone instantly becoming hostile as she folded her arms across her chest.

" _This isn't working anymore."_ Rick declared. _"It never worked, and its time for it to end."_

" _Why are you doing this?"_ Lori questioned with exasperation. _"Is this about the fight between you and Shane?"_ She asked, reminding him of what had been a terrible mistake, engaging Shane in a physical altercation, which had led to his former friend attempting to pull his gun and them both being suspended with pay until an investigation could be completed on what had happened. _"Or is it about that woman, Miconne in Atlanta?"_ She added the inquiry with displeasure.

" _It's about everything."_ He replied, ignoring her attempt to get a rise out of him about Michonne, to get some idea as to where his head was with regards to the woman he was in part doing this all for. _"Everything that's wrong with my life and this situation."_ He said.

" _Your life?"_ She scoffed. _"What about my life? And Carl's life? Where do you think we're going to go?"_

" _I don't care where you go."_ Rick frankly replied. _"But Carl is staying here."_

" _What?!"_ Lori exclaimed with shock.

" _You heard me. Carl is staying here with me."_ He uttered again.

" _You don't really think I'm going to agree to that?"_

" _I can and you will, agree to that."_ Rick firmly stated. _"See I know about you and Shane. I know that you've done more than kiss and that you have I guess, a relationship now."_ He said, causing Lori to go white as a sheet and deeply breathed with fear in her eyes.

" _I don't know what you're tal…"_

" _Don't! Enough with the lies Lori! Just admit it. You've been fucking Shane."_ He exclaimed with frustration, his tone revealing his intolerance for bullshit.

" _Alright! I was…fucking Shane!"_ She yelled. _"But it is over now. It was over the moment I moved in here with Carl."_ She claimed _"Because I wanted a chance to rebuild our marriage."_

" _You still don't get it do you…"_

" _I get it."_ Lori strongly interrupted, Rick's scornful response. " _We've both made mistakes. We've both had our indiscretions with others, but I don't care about that, now it's time for us to come back together if for nothing else but to make a better life for our son."_ She argued. _"I know you don't love me, but I want another chance for Carl. Love can be recaptured later."_

" _Lori there is no we."_ Rick countered _. "This, is over."_

" _No it's not."_ She sharply rejected. _"I cannot do this by myself! Everything is gone! The insurance won't pay the claim because the fire was ruled an arson. I have nothing! I need you!"_

" _You don't need me."_ Rick severely asserted. _"Our son needs me. And I will be there for him. I will always be there for him."_ He said. _"But we, me and you, will not be together."_

" _I'm not letting this go."_ Lori angrily resisted. _"I will drag this divorce out as long as I possibly can."_ She threatened. _"By the time I'm done, that woman in Atlanta will be on to a life without you."_

" _That's what this is really about isn't it?"_ He retorted _. "Stifling any happiness I might have outside of you?"_ He said. _"But I won't let that happen. If you attempt to drag this out, I will have no choice but to tell your father know about your indiscretions with Shane."_ He warned, knowing that if her father learned that she was "cheating" on him with his "best friend" he'd stopped funding her divorce lawyer immediately.

" _You have no proof of that."_

" _I have the text messages."_

" _What are you talking about?"_ Lori shakily question.

" _You know what I'm talking about."_ Rick proclaimed, holding her stunned gaze. _"You texting Shane numerous times a day so that you could plan your late afternoon rendezvous in the park or how he was going to sneak into the house after Carl was asleep. Then there were the texts about how you couldn't wait to...well I don't have to paint a picture for you. You know the messages that were exchanged, how explicit they were."_

" _You went through my phone?!"_ Lori exclaimed with embarrassment and ire.

" _It sucks doesn't it?"_ Rick jabbed, thinking how she'd callously done the same thing, going through his phone months earlier.

" _You can't do this."_ She seethed.

" _I will do this."_ Rick staunchly vowed as he walked to the nearby table and retrieved the papers from the drawer, then turned back to Lori _. "I had my lawyer draw up new papers giving me full custody of Carl."_ He said as he handed her the documents that she reluctantly received with indignant consternation. _"But you're welcome to see him at any time."_ He added.

" _I'll never sign this. I'll never let you take my son."_ She tightly declared after briefly scanning over the papers.

" _And I won't let you continuously expose him to a man who you know he fears, a man who is obsessed with you and him."_

" _Shane is out of my life!"_

" _I don't believe you."_ Rick heatedly disagreed, thinking of how she'd lied about her interactions with him in the past, just weeks ago, and ignored his warning about Carl's fear of him. Even though Shane was now strangely MIA, supposedly visiting family out of town while waiting on the results of the investigation, Rick didn't trust that she wasn't still engaging him. In fact, he wondered if the man was really out of town. The hatred and fury Shane had shown during their fight wasn't something that would disappear overnight. As a result, Rick had continued to watch his own back and keep a close eye on Carl in an effort to be prudent in the event that Shane pulled another dangerous act of vengeance.

" _I won't sign this."_ Lori furiously vowed once more.

" _Well then your father and everyone else will learn about your relationship with Shane and those…explicit texts that were exchanged."_

" _You wouldn't dare. You wouldn't ruin my career. Destroy Ca..."_

" _You think I want to do this?!"_ Rick impatiently interjected. _"But I've been more than patient with you, and I'm out of patience."_ He said. _"I want you out of this house by tomorrow."_

" _Tomorrow?!"_ Lori gasped in horror, tears of outrage in her eyes.

" _And I want the divorce papers signed before you leave."_ He continued, undeterred by her piqued response.

 _"You can't do this!"_

 _"I'm staying the night at a hotel. When I return tomorrow I expect you gone."_ He said. _"You can leave the signed papers on the table in the foyer."_ He directed, then turned and left the room, leaving Lori fuming with devastation.


	22. The Choice

Thanks for the intelligent and insightful reviews! Your continued support is much appreciated.

 **fithola** – Thanks for the understanding and the trust. Having the support of other fanfic writers is more helpful than you know.

 **Chapter Twenty-two**

Four days had gone by and the secret was still her own. For her appointment with Dr. Robinson had been rescheduled for that morning, which had further delayed her informing Rick about the situation. Michonne could've still told him, giving him the news about her pregnancy over the weekend, but she needed a little more time, to sort through her feelings, run scenarios of her choices, none of which eased her mind. Thus, that morning she'd stopped in for her appointment on her way to work, still no clearer on the choice she'd make, hoping to get the one thing she was certain she wanted, a green light to return to work.

To her relief, she'd received the release from her doctor. The woman had reluctantly consented to her returning to work due to the hemorrhage having healed, some, and the pain and bleeding having completely subsided. However, the doctor had reiterated that she should spend minimal time on her feet and shouldn't do more than 4-5 hours in the office. Michonne had accepted the recommendation and was prepared to leave, to embark on what she knew would be a busy work day, when Dr. Robinson had stopped her, asking if she wanted to hear the baby's heartbeat.

Michonne was taken aback by the unexpected offer, that stirred a storm of conflicting feelings. Did she want to hear it? Risk the experience causing an attachment to take hold, when an opposing choice might be made? Or did she decline the request and walk away? The fact that she'd been laying there, debating what to do, gave Michonne her answer. She'd hesitantly accepted the suggestion, and minutes later, she still lay on the table, her flat stomach, showing no signs of pregnancy, covered in a cold gel with the room echoing the sounds of the baby's heart, steadily beating at what the doctor described as a low rate.

Michonne had instantly broken down, her tears seeming to come out of nowhere at the implication of it all, that there was a life growing inside of her, that she and Rick had created, unintentionally, yet out of genuine and infinite affection. Dr. Robinson had assured her that the pregnancy still had a chance of success. However, she'd warned that the subchorionic hemorrhage would have to be closely monitored and the baby's heart rate would need to significantly increase. The doctor had not entirely understood the source and full scope of Michonne's emotions, but Michonne had continued to uncontrollably cry, at the magnitude of what she'd just realized.

She knew in that moment that she had to make this work, even though the thought of having a child scared the shit out of her, because it was uncharted territory for her, territory in which she hadn't the faintest idea how to navigate, territory that wasn't planned. She wasn't even good with kids, and she still had a career that she couldn't imagine giving up, but she also couldn't make the alternative choice. She had to see this through, and she could no longer delay what she had for days. She had to tell Rick.

However, what she knew, what she had to do, had been deferred once more. For as soon as she walked out of the doctor's office, still emotional and shaken, feeling that it was all so surreal, yet planning to call Rick that instant, her cell phone rang and it had been work. She'd learned there was an issue with one of her clients. From there it had been nonstop, one call and meeting after another, dealing with the client, the printers, then re-strategizing how they were going to go live with the campaign after dealing with the unforeseen crisis. Michonne had not had time to breath, to revisit the epiphany she'd had at the doctor's office, much less act on it by calling Rick. For she had to keep her head in the game, set the happenings in her personal life aside, to focus completely on the trouble at hand.

Furthermore, in addition to the dire circumstances surrounding the one client, she'd had other clients and projects to manage, and had just completed a meeting with Mike and his colleagues, finally getting to a lull in her schedule, when she started to feel a little unwell. Michonne had pushed past the ripple of sickness to walk Mike and his team to the receptionist, who could validate their parking, when he'd asked to speak to her privately about a business item that was not related to the project she was working on for his firm. She'd granted his request and led the way back to her office, wondering if this was truly about business, tempted to tell him they could speak at another time, but conceded to giving him the benefit of the doubt.

" _Thanks for taking a moment to meet with me."_ He said while waiting for her to shut the office door, then taking a seat in the chair before her desk, when she sat down. _"I know your schedule must be crazy with you returning to the office today."_

" _It is."_ Michonne confirmed. _"So what business did you want to discuss?"_ She asked.

" _The firm."_ He answered. _"This is highly confidential information and only a selected few know. I had to get clearance from the higher ups to speak with you about this."_ He continued, peaking Michonne's curiosity. _"We're buying The Brandon Group."_ He revealed, surprising Michonne with the announcement of his employer's plans to buy one of the biggest technology consulting firms in the industry.

" _What? When?"_

" _It's pretty much a done deal. Everything should be finalized within the next week."_ He detailed.

" _And why do I need to know this?"_ Michonne asked.

" _Because after the acquisition is complete, the firm is going to want to do a rebranding campaign, and we'll likely want you to lead it."_

" _How would that work if I'm offered the job I'm interviewing for next month?"_

" _It would be one of your first campaigns."_

" _And if I don't receive an offer or don't take the job?"_

" _We'll still want to bring you on."_ He replied. _"The campaign is going to be too big to be done exclusively in house. We'll need an outside firm to do the work. Lawson and Lewis will be the firm selected to do that work, I can guarantee that, which means whether you take the Art Director role or remain here at Lawson, you'll be a big part of this campaign."_

" _This is great news!"_ Michonne stated with controlled excitement, not wanting to come off overly enthusiastic for something that was not yet a given, but this was everything she'd been striving for, a dream come true with regards to her career, but what of the baby? She suddenly thought, the reminder somewhat deflating her excitement. How would her being pregnant and eventually a mother fit in to her ambitious and demanding career goals?

" _Isn't it?"_ Mike concurred, invading her thoughts. _"We've been incredibly impressed with your work on this current campaign and want to keep you on board for other projects, whether it's through Lawson or with us."_

" _I can't tell you enough how great that is to hear."_ She honestly replied, even while still struggling to reconcile how her career and pregnancy could work cohesively. _"Not only will this be great for me, but for Lawson. I really appreciate Davidson giving us this opportunity."_ She added.

" _Well it's well deserved."_ He declared, when there was an awkward silence in which Michonne moved to end by kindly dismissing their meeting, but Mike had spoken again, stopping her. _"So how have you been?"_ He asked, instantly changing the mood from the excitement of business to the sensitivity that was her personal life.

" _Fine."_ Michonne answered, uncomfortable with where the conversation was now going but feeling that after everything that had happened, how Mike had helped her, the least she should do was assure him that she was okay.

" _Chonne, we were together for four years. I can tell when you're not well."_ He contended.

" _I appreciate your concern, but I'm okay."_ She maintained.

" _You sure? Because with your…condition this may all be too much."_

" _You should go."_ She stiffly replied, instantly miffed by his implication that she couldn't do her job in her "condition," unknowingly striking a nerve at her own uncertainty about the situation, and annoying her with his sly attempt to finesse an update out of her on the pregnancy.

" _I'm sorry."_ He quickly apologized. _"I stepped over the line."_

" _Yeah you did."_

" _I just care about you, so much."_ He expressed with emotion. _"And I want to help you through this."_

" _Mike, I appreciate you seeing me through the visit to the ER, and your discretion about my condition, but that's all I can give you – my thanks..."_

" _Chonne, I'm not asking you to give me anything."_ Mike interjected. " _I'm asking you to let me help you, to let me take care of you."_

" _I don't need you to take care of me."_ Michonne firmly spurned _. "And the best way you can help me is by letting this go, respecting that my personal life is my own, and accepting that…we're not together."_ She countered. _"Now if you can't do that, if you can't keep our relationship professional, then I won't have any choice but to resign from this project."_ She seriously added, upon seeing the disquiet in his eyes, revealing how much he wanted to dispute what she was saying.

" _That's not an option."_ He declared. _"If you walked away it would throw off the project timeline and hold up the campaign rollout for weeks. We can't afford for that to happen. Furthermore, your work is unmatched."_

" _Then you'll resign?"_ Michonne posed.

" _Me resign?"_ Mike uttered with shock.

" _If you can't put your feelings aside, then either you resign or I do."_

" _I never said I can't put my feelings aside."_ Mike decisively replied. _"I can put my feelings aside."_ He vowed. _"I will. This campaign is one of my biggest projects."_ He said _. "To step away from it would cost me money and professional credibility."_ He disclosed. _"I can't afford to walk away from this, and neither can you."_ He stated what she knew aloud, that she had just as much to lose as he, if she resigned from a project which the client specifically asked her to lead. _"So we'll have to see this through, together."_ He proclaimed in a tone that seemed to infer his words meant so much more, filling her with concern.

* * *

Michonne sat at her desk, her hand to her head, having just finished an unexpected call with a client, her mind briefly going to another client – Davidson and subsequently her former fiancé and liaison there – Mike Thompson, wondering what she was going to do about him. Though she'd been initially concerned about them working together due to their history, thus far things had been going well. He'd been extremely professional, going out of his way not to make her feel uncomfortable, but today things had been different. She knew because of the assistance he'd provided when getting her to the hospital after she'd fainted. The incident had given him an access to her life that he hadn't had since before they broke up, and therefore reignited feelings, that he'd never settled, and thus his desire for reconciliation. She shouldn't have let him help her that day. She mused, but what else could she have done? It happened. If Mike continued to push for more than a professional acquaintance, she would deal with it in the appropriate manner, but right now she couldn't dwell on it. For she had bigger issues at hand. She needed to do what she'd been avoiding doing for nearly two weeks and hadn't time to do earlier that day. She needed to call Rick…

* * *

Macon, Georgia

Rick walked out of his attorney's office, feeling a great sense of relief, and pleasance, that he was on the brink of what he'd been wanting for months, a life that wasn't in chaos and a true chance at happiness. Lori had stalled and hadn't signed the papers the following day like he'd demanded, calling his bluff. He'd responded without delay, ringing her father and leaving him a voice message, when his former in-law didn't pick up, telling him it was important that they talk. The man had in turn, reached out to his daughter to learn what was going on, which had subsequently scared a furious Lori into signing the papers. Rick didn't want to stoop that low, to pull her father into their mess, but he needed more to get her to sign the papers. Thus mission accomplished. She'd dropped the signed papers off the previous night and he'd driven to his attorney's office to personally hand off the documents and get details on when the divorce would be finalized with the courts.

In route there, he'd received more good news. Sheriff Bratton had informed him that he'd been reinstated to his position in the Sheriff's department, but Shane had been fired for conduct unbecoming of an officer, which Rick feared would fuel the man's wrath, along with the restraining order he'd obtained against his former friend, barring the man from coming within 300 feet of him and Carl. Rick knew that it wouldn't stop him, if he tried something, but it would ensure that he'd receive a criminal charge if he showed up at Carl's school or tried to visit with Lori while the boy was around.

Shane was a lingering concern, but at least Lori was now out of his house and no longer connected to him through marriage. What's more, though Carl was still struggling with the end of his parent's relationship and the lingering trauma of the fire, he and Rick had become closer. Though he missed living with his mother, Carl was generally happy, responding positively to spending the majority of his time with father. Rick could see that things were turning for the better, save for the situation with Michonne, which was still fucked up. They'd been playing phone tag and hardly texting for the past couple of weeks, which he felt was purposeful on her part, due to her barely answering his attempts to communicate. Something had changed with her. He could feel it. He could sense her drifting away and he could not let that happen.

She was the best thing that had ever happened to him outside of Carl, and thus he couldn't give this more time, for his divorce to be finalized with the courts, in what his lawyer predicted would be early December. He felt, in the deepest part of his being that he could wait no more. He had to act now, tell her that he was free to be with her. Free to love her. Free to explore a future he so vehemently wanted with her. He just hoped that she was still waiting, that she would still have him. Rick began to pull the phone from his back pocket, set on calling her right then, when it suddenly rang. Frustrated by the call that would disrupt his plan, he sighed then eyed it's face to find that it was Michonne. Shock and joy thundered in his heart, inflaming his yearning, quickening his breath, when he then picked up the call without hesitance.

" _Hey"_ He quietly uttered.

" _Hey"_ She shakily answered in the same hushed tone.

" _I was just thinking about you."_ He admitted, feeling nearly overwhelmed by the incredibly wonderful feeling of speaking to her again, after what had seemed like so much time. _"I'm always thinking about you."_ He confessed with ardor, filling Michonne with tenderness.

" _Me too."_ She softly replied, stirring him with hope, touching him deeper than she knew. When there was a long, quiet moment, both knowing what they wanted to say, but struggling with how to say it, how to express with words the emotion that was smoldering within.

" _You've been ok?"_ Rick then gently questioned, suspending the silence.

" _Yeah. Ok. And you?"_ She answered with a mistruth and questioned what the hell she was doing.

" _Ok."_ Rick echoed her response, before another tense quiet permeated the mood. Why was he hesitating? Rick asked himself, not knowing that Michonne was asking herself the same. She didn't call him to sit there on an open line and angst over what she needed to say. She called to tell him what was going on, that she was pregnant with his child, but what would he say to that? What did she want him to say? She didn't know. For she had no clue as to where things were with his wife. Were they still living under the same roof? Were they trying to reconcile? Or was he still doing it for his son? And how would she fit into all of that? Michonne didn't know, but Rick did. He loved her. He'd waited long enough to tell her his truth, struggled long enough with his fear that she'd moved on. That she'd found things too complicated to give him another chance. He was ready to face it all, whatever she may say. He was ready to fight for her. As was Michonne, who harnessed her fortitude and was ready to confess what he didn't yet know…

" _I…"_ They both said at the same time. Then stopped. _"You first."_ They stated in unison and uneasily laughed, the warmth now intense in their hearts, diffusing their anxiousness and calmed the mood.

" _You first."_ Rick encouraged once more.

Excitement and fear rushed through Michonne, and the questions she'd been asking herself for days, just seconds ago, the adrenalin of it all, briefly conquering the feeling of an ill stomach, accompanied by some discomfort in her lower belly, when she pushed all the distractions from her mind, that were threatening to decimate her determination and unleashed her tongue, releasing the news she'd kept secret for nearly two weeks... _"I'm pregnant."_

* * *

Rick stood in the hallway outside of his lawyer's office stunned into silence. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard Michonne say, that she was pregnant. He didn't know what to say, what to do and thus did the only thing he could. He uttered her name with love and awe, but when she didn't respond, he called her name again to no avail. He then looked down at his phone to see that he had no bars and as a result, the call had dropped. Rick immediately rushed outside, and like he expected his signal sprung back to life, prompting him to speed dial her back. The phone began to ring, which ignited his heart with eagerness and anticipation, when mid-ring the call dropped again. He quickly eyed his phone, thinking the signal had failed once more, then saw that his phone was powering down. _"Shit!"_ He exclaimed in frustration and quickly ran to his car, jumping in the front seat, turning over the motor, then immediately plugging his phone into the charger.

Rick sat quiet and impatient, watching his dark phone, willing it to turn on, to light up with power as his mind reeled at what Michonne had just told him. She was pregnant. She was pregnant with his child, their child. Or was it their child? The unanticipated thought invaded his mind. Was that the reason why Mike answered her phone? Why he'd claimed they were back together and therefore why she'd been pushing him away? He questioned within, nearly devastated by the thought, but he quickly forced the musing away, knowing in his soul that the baby was his. Now understanding the unexplainable urge he felt, powerful and deep, that was driving him more than usual to see her, to speak with her. It was due to the profound connection they already shared, growing deeper due to the child they'd created, and she was now carrying. Rick realized, as emotion welled in his chest, swelling in his throat and stinging his eyes, just as his phone lit up and powered to life.

* * *

Michonne 'spoke' to Rick, leaving a message, her voice sounding foreign, not like her own as she nervously asked him to call her when he had the chance. She'd told him the truth, finally confessing that she was pregnant, only for her to look down at her phone, and discover that the call was gone. Had he heard what she'd said? She'd immediately questioned. When a ridiculous part of her had wondered if he'd hung up the phone upon hearing the news, but she'd known that was bullshit. The call must've dropped. She'd deduced, but had he heard her? She'd been sure the line was still open when she'd said the words. Michonne had then drawn a breath, feeling so incredibly emotional at speaking with Rick, feeling so much, so deeply for him, then regained her courage and dialed him again.

However, his phone had gone straight to voicemail, which meant his battery was likely dead or maybe he was working and was on a call. Whatever the reason she'd left a message. Michonne now sat back in her chair, then closed her eyes, exhaling slowly, then swallowing back a strong bout of nausea that was rising within her, coinciding with the dull ache that seemed to be growing sharp in her abdomen. She lightly touched her stomach, willing the pain to subside, breathing deeply to calm her anxiety which was in part fueling her discomfort, thinking, hoping that if his phone just needed charging, he'd likely call back any minute, when her boss suddenly popped in her doorway, nearly startling her.

" _I need you now!"_ The woman exclaimed with urgency.

" _What's going on?"_ Michonne asked with concern, her relaxed stance instantly becoming more rigid.

" _Lee Sanford is here and he's pissed."_ She said, announcing an executive from the firm whose campaign they were having to re-strategize at the last minute, due to an error at the printers. _"Bring your project plans and files…."_

Michonne listened intently as the woman instructed her on what all they needed for the impromptu meeting. Then engaged in a dialogue with the woman when the topic of messaging to Mr. Sanford surrounding the debacle with the printers had come up. The intense conversation, coupled with her focus shifting to gathering the materials needed for the discussion, distracted her from Rick, from all that was happening with her and between them, causing her to completely forget her phone, leaving it laying on her desk as she rushed to the meeting, and thus missed his call just moments later.


	23. Aftermath

**Thanks everyone for reading and responding!**

 **Chapter Twenty – three**

It was like déjà vu. Tall, glass buildings around him, the hustle and bustle of city life, with people coming and going, headed home or starting their evening. It was so much like the time before when he was there more than a month ago, except this time the air was cooler, the sun shrouded by clouds and the skies gradually growing darker due to the early approach of evening. This time he wouldn't be spending an hour at the nearby café debating whether he should walk away or stay and let her know he was there. This time he would be going straight to her building, straight to her. After his phone had powered up, Rick had immediately tried to call Michonne back. However, she'd not picked up. Frustrated, he'd then called the front desk at her office and asked if she was available. He'd been told that she was in a meeting and it was unknown when she'd be available. Well Rick couldn't wait for the unknown, for he and Michonne to continue vague texts and calls, voicemails that were half answered and conversations that were unfinished. He was done hoping that the distance between them would sort itself out. He had to take control, to see her now, to talk with her, to work through everything that was keeping them apart and binding them together – the mess with Lori, the situation with Mike, their feelings for each other and now the baby, their baby she was carrying. Thus, Rick immediately got on the road and made the hour and a half drive to Atlanta.

* * *

The entire time 90-minute ride, his shock diminished, replaced by a happiness he couldn't contain. Michonne was pregnant. He kept telling himself. She was pregnant with their child. He knew that the timing was all wrong, that there was so much they needed to be sorted through and that Michonne would be uncertain about it all due not only to the many things they needed to address – his divorce, Mike, their relationship and Carl, but her demanding career which was her dream. Nonetheless, it felt right. He knew they could make this work. As crazy as it sounded, he knew, deep within his spirit, that them doing this together, as one, and raising a family was meant to be. Rick now made his way for the building that he knew held her place of business, mounting the steps that would take him the final feet to the it's front doors, but his trek changed, his determined stride slowing as his eyes locked with a pool of brown, inflaming the love he felt for her in his heart.

" _Rick"_ Michonne breathlessly gasped as they came to meet at the top of the steps. _"What? Why are you here?"_ She shakily asked a question in which she already knew the answer.

" _You know why."_ He quietly uttered, his gaze a tender and intense blue, rousing the emotion within, as he closed the scant distance between them. _"You know why."_ He expressed once more as he gently touched her cheek, inciting her to sigh from the heat it stirred, for tears to well in her eyes at the contented joy and what she'd seen so many time before but what he'd not verbalized and she couldn't quite define…love. Her heart felt full with happiness and a yearning unlike anything she'd felt in her life, when in that moment the pain in her abdomen severely sharpened, bringing with it a strong wave of nausea, causing her to grabbed her stomach, to nearly cry out.

Panicked by what was obviously pain Michonne was feeling in her abdomen, Rick immediately placed a hand atop hers that lay over her tummy and was about to ask ' _What's wrong?'_ but he hadn't an opportunity to respond due to his eyes catching something in his peripheral. Rick turned his attention that way and saw what was coming in their direction, a man in a dark hoody. A man who at one time had been his friend, stalking towards them, his eyes full of rage and hate, hell bent on vengeance. Rick protectively stepped in front of Michonne, just as the man rushed upon them, pulling his gun, attempting to train it on them. However, he'd stopped him. Before Shane could fully aim the gun, Rick made an unexpected move, lunging at the man, grabbing his armed hand, forcing it to his side, when a fierce struggle ensued. Punches and yelling, pushing and shoving, a struggle over the weapon ensued as eyewitnesses ran for their lives, screaming in fear. Michonne stood paralyzed by pain and shock, watched in horror as the fight grew more brutal and dangerous, when the cramps in her abdomen became unbearable. She doubled over in pain just as she saw Rick being struck hard across the face, with the strange man appearing to gain an advantage in the fight, to somehow manage to point the gun for which they still struggled, at Rick. When her world began to spin, everything going blurry, just as she heard one final sound, a gunshot, before her world descended into darkness.

* * *

Two and half hours later…

The haze slowly lifted, bringing with it the brightness of life, shining just out of view and the fear that came with the confusion of what had happened, when gradually all became clear, the events of what felt like hours before revealing themselves – the arrival of Rick, paralyzing pain, the brutal altercation, the gun shot and her brief instances of consciousness after. Panic instantly seized Michonne, fear for Rick's life, fear for the baby, driving her eyes to snap open, for her to desperately hope that her distress was unfounded. However, she knew her hope for the latter was in vain, due to the changes she instinctively felt within her body. Anguish invaded her heart, mingling with the lingering pain in her abdomen as she replayed the events of the day, how it had started and now where it had led.

Never would she have ever believed that things would've ended up here, when she'd had her epiphany that morning or when she was dealing with the crisis with her client. Never did she believe that just as quickly as she accepted that she was having a baby, that she was going to be a mother, everything would change, that the baby would be gone, and Rick could be injured or dead at the hands of that maniac who had attacked him. Michonne was besieged by a storm of emotions, driving her need to see Rick, to make sure he was alright, when she moved to leave the bed and aggravated the cramps that were surging through her lower abdomen.

" _Chonne!"_ She suddenly heard and looked up to find Bob entering the room, worry in his tone. _"You should be resting."_ He said as she settled back on the bed, sighing at the pain and her exhaustion.

" _What are you doing here?"_ Michonne sighed in pain as her hand came to rest on her aching stomach.

" _My partner and I, our ambulance was, dispatched to the scene of what happened."_ He cautiously answered.

" _Where's Rick?"_ She fearfully questioned, worried that the worst had happened, knowing that she couldn't bear it if she'd lost him. She kept her eyes forward, focused on the dull gray wall before her, willing what she wanted, what she needed to be true to be reality, forcing herself to believe that he was okay, when Bob answered her question in two words…

" _He's fine."_ He said. Michonne released a breath she didn't realize she was holding and closed her eyes in relief and thankfulness. _"He's being treated down the hall. He's a little banged up, but he'll be okay."_ He detailed, nearly stirring her to tears, but she choked them down and voiced another question.

" _And…the baby?"_ She unevenly asked, what she already knew, as she returned her eyes to Bob.

" _I'm sorry Chonne."_ He sadly confirmed. Michonne turned her eyes away, briefly dropping her gaze as the tears finally came, incessant and weighty, for the loss she'd suffered, the terror at the almost deadly situation she'd witnessed and the solace in knowing that Rick had come through it okay.

" _I should've left work when I first started to feel it."_ She tearfully stated after a while, guilt invading her heart.

" _Feel what?"_ He compassionately asked as he gently grasped her hand.

"I was feeling pain, and nausea, just like I'd…just like I'd felt before when I fainted, but I just kept working." She sighed, shaking her head in angst at her lack of forethought, in fully grasping the precariousness of her condition.

" _Chonne, even if you'd left, it's unlikely it would've prevented what happened."_ Bob countered.

" _You don't know that."_ She lamented. _"The doctor told me if I experienced any symptoms like I had before I should go to the hospital…but I waited, and now… it's too late."_

" _I'm so sorry Chonne."_ Her friend uttered again, but she didn't respond for she was lost in sorrow and regret, realizing the irony of her situation, that right as she decided to keep the pregnancy, as she was slowly starting to accept that her future would soon include a baby, everything had changed and her pregnancy was gone. Was this the result of her feelings at the start, her disinterest and exasperation at the thought of having a child? Had those negative emotions created a resistance within her body that fought her condition and in turn expelled of the pregnancy? She unreasonably wondered, her internal query, causing her tears to anew, her heart heavy with what she'd not at first wanted, but had grew to desire, when she'd heard the life that was beating within her.

" _Are you okay?"_ Bob asked, when her grief gradually ebbed, several minutes later.

" _Yeah."_ She inaudibly replied.

" _Are you sure? Cause I can stay until Sasha gets here if you need me."_

" _You're leaving?"_ She asked, now wiping the tears from her eyes with Kleenex from the box he'd offered from the table next to the bed.

" _Yeah. I've been here while on break."_ He explained.

" _Thank you for sitting with me, but go back to work. I'll be fine."_ She encouraged with strength.

" _You sure?"_

" _Yeah. Go."_ She assured. Bob accepted her response, then moved to leave but not before squeezing her hand, again expressing his sorrow for her situation and reminded her to continue to rest, at least until Sasha got there to take her home. Michonne accepted his advice and support, putting her brave face on until he exited the room, when heartache pressed upon her once more, breaking her down with a fury of tears.

* * *

Rick lay staring at the popcorn tiles above him, while the nurse carefully wrapped his sprained hand. The pain there and on his bruised ribs, gradually abating due to the medication he'd been given. He wanted the woman to hasten her work, to quickly finish bandaging his hand so that he could find Michonne. Though the doctor had told him he needed to rest, not only due to his sprained hand and bruised ribs, but the concussion he'd developed, he could not sit by, idling waiting to get well enough to see her. For the last time he'd seen her she was unconscious and being led away in an ambulance. He knew she hadn't been hurt by his fight with Shane, by the gunshot that had fired.

Thankfully no one had, but he couldn't get the vision out of his mind of how beautiful, yet peaked she'd looked when he'd seen her, and the agony he knew she'd been experiencing in her abdomen. Could something be wrong with the baby? He posed to himself what he didn't want to admit was possible. A deep sense of foreboding washing over him, making him feel anxious and alarmed, finding no comfort in the limited information he'd pulled out of the nurse, who'd only told him that she was okay. The young woman finally finished wrapping his hand, told him how to care for it at home, then left the room, providing him with the opportunity to satiate the urging in his heart to find Michonne. However, as soon as he moved to leave the bed, fighting through the slight spinning in his head, and the dull pain in his ribs and hand that still wasn't quite muted by the Tylenol he'd taken, detectives had come by, to get a statement on what had happened.

Rick had given the men a full account of the incident. How he and Michonne were talking when this man, who he recognized as Shane Walsh, came out of nowhere. He'd seen Shane was attempting to aim a gun at them, so he'd attacked before the man could succeed. "We viciously fought and somehow Shane managed to get control of the gun. At which point, we struggled over it." Rick disclosed. Then told how he'd been assaulted with the weapon, with Shane striking him across the temple. They'd fought some more, with Rick successfully keeping Shane from gaining full command of the gun. They continued to struggle over the weapon until it had eventually gone off.

However, following that he'd gotten the better of Shane and had taken him down, while disarming him in the process. The detectives had then asked Rick if he knew why Shane was in Atlanta, and furthermore why he'd come after him. Rick candidly responded, filling the men in on his history with Shane, concluding by revealing the restraining order he had against the man. The detectives had thanked him for his cooperation and went to go, but not before informing him that Shane had been arrested for aggravated assault and was being treated on another floor for the injuries he'd suffered during the fight.

* * *

Rick couldn't believe this had happened. How had it happened? How had Shane known where he was? Did he really follow him, all the way to Atlanta? He must've. He'd logically concluded, which meant it likely hadn't just started that day. If he'd been planning an attack all along, he could've been watching him for days. The thought of which greatly unnerved Rick. How had things got to this point? He asked himself again, the question he'd asked so many times over the past few months. He and Shane used to be friends. Well he thought they were friends, but obviously they never weren't.

Morgan had always warned him about Shane's roaming eyes over Lori and disingenuous friendship, but he'd not seen it. Thinking that Shane's sometimes questionable behavior was nothing more than a minor case of jealousy which sometimes happened amongst friends. After all, they'd had an occasional rivalry since college. Nonetheless, here he was, reflecting on nearly being killed by his "friend," but he couldn't entertain that anymore. Shane was where he belonged, arrested and on his way to jail, and he needed to get to Michonne. Rick doggedly thought as he once again began to climb out of bed, when another unexpected visitor came by, bursting through the door…

" _Dad!"_

" _Carl…what are you doing…"_ He barely got the question out when his son grabbed him, stifling the query, his hug filling him with pain, inciting him to groan. _"What are you doing here?"_ He managed to ask ex-wife who rushed into the room. _"How are you here?"_

" _I drove up. It was a miracle I found you through the local police. Why didn't you answer your phone?!"_ Lori responded in near hysterics.

" _What are you doing here?"_ He severely asked again his tone etched with anger, deliberately ignoring her question.

" _I did this to you."_ She confessed, her voice unsteady. _"I'm responsible for what Shane has done."_

* * *

Michonne slowly emerged from the bathroom, now having changed into the fresh clothes that Sasha had brought from her Condo, feeling physically and emotionally exhausted, but minimal pain in her abdomen due to the medicine the doctor had given her to take. The doctor had come by after Bob had left and explained what she already knew, that she'd had a miscarriage. The doctor had explained, that the occurrence was unfortunately not that uncommon, especially so early in her pregnancy, but that she should heal without issue.

The woman had not prescribed any medicine, recommending she take Tylenol for the ongoing pain she'd have for the next few days and suggested she schedule a visit with her OBGYN within the following week to confirm that her body was recovering properly. After the doctor finished up, leaving Michonne to ponder the advice that was painfully similar to what had been suggested days ago, when she'd first learned she was pregnant, the thoughts threatening to shatter her again. However, Atlanta police had shown up, staying her impending breakdown, wanting a statement about what she'd seen during the incident.

Michonne had recounted what little she'd seen prior to her falling unconscious and had learned from them that the attacker had been someone who'd specifically targeted Rick, but that was all they'd revealed since they were still investigating the case. Who knew Rick here? She'd worriedly mused, just as Sasha had arrived and the cops headed out. Her friend's warm presence, fracturing her stoic stance, inciting her to confess all, from her moving experience at the doctor's that morning, that led to her choice to keep the baby, to her admission to Rick, his unexpected visit and the horrifying and heartbreaking events after.

Sasha had responded with shock and sadness, comforting her with hugs and empathy, countering her guilt with the reminder of her own miscarriage for a similar reason – a severe hemorrhage and the pregnancy having a weak heartbeat from the start. Sasha's words had provided some comfort, and thus motivated Michonne to get herself together, to prepare to leave the hospital by changing into the jeans, tennis' and sweater that Sasha had brought, due to the clothes she'd previously worn being soiled, then destroyed as a result of the miscarriage and the work of the doctors in the ER.

" _You ready?"_ Sasha asked with care as Michonne closed the bathroom door behind her.

" _No yet."_ She answered, bewildering her friend. _"But I will be as soon as I see Rick."_

" _Chonne you're exhausted…"_

" _I'm not leaving until I see him."_ She strongly, emotionally interjected, stopping her friend's oncoming objection, who immediately acceded to her decision.

* * *

Minutes later Michonne left Sasha to wait in the nearby lobby and arrived alone at the door of the room in which she knew to be Rick's. She put her hand on the knob, ready to enter, to see with her own eyes that he was alright but dreaded the devastation she knew he'd feel when he learned that she was no longer pregnant. Michonne drew a deep breath, and shoved away the despondency that was on the brink of crushing her resolve, then determinedly move to walk through the door, but was stopped…

" _Hey that's my dad's room!"_ A small voice exclaimed out of nowhere drawing Michonne's attention from the door and onto a young adolescent, who'd just walked up.

" _Who's your dad?"_ Michonne cautiously, nervously asked as she gazed at the young boy that seemed vaguely familiar.

" _Rick Grimes."_


	24. The Unreasonable Reason

Thanks everyone for the great responses!

 **CLKit –** Welcome to the story! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

I'm posting on an odd night because this next chapter will be broken up between this chapter and the next. I intended it to all be Chapter 24, but felt it was just too long. I'll post Chapter 25 on Sunday.

 **Chapter Twenty- four**

Upon hearing Lori's hysterical declaration, that she was behind Shane's insane behavior, Rick had asked a reluctant Carl to wait outside, down the hall in the small waiting room across from the nurse's station. Considering the implications of what Lori had started to confess, Rick knew it was not something Carl needed to be privy to.

" _Why are you here?"_ Rick impatiently asked again, after Carl was out of the room and he suspected was safely down the hall.

" _I was trying to stop this."_ Lori shakily answered. _"But I couldn't."_

" _You knew Shane would come after me?"_ Rick questioned, his vexation rising.

" _I provoked him."_ She regretfully confessed _. "I've been provoking him for months."_ She said, stunning Rick.

" _What're you talking about?"_

" _I continued sleeping with him, even after you warned me about his obsession with me and Carl…I told him that it was you holding up the divorce, that I'd wanted out for months…"_ She revealed what Rick had already guessed. _"And then last night, I told him that you forced me to sign the divorce papers by threatening to expose our relationship and ensure that you'd get custody of Carl. But he was happy. Glad that I was finally free of you, then said that we could still be together, that we could fight you for custody of Carl, but … I rejected his suggestion, told him the truth, that he made me feel wanted, like I still had something to offer after my marriage to you fell apart, that I used him to try…and make you jealous, to make you see that you still felt something for me…I told him, that he would never be you, that for me it'd always be you."_ She detailed, leaving Rick with no response but to scoff in disgust.

" _Shane didn't seem angry, just hurt, so, so hurt by what I'd said, and I left him that way."_ She continued. _"Regretful of my actions, hopeful that he would be okay, but then today he called me, calmer than I'd ever heard him…"_ She said, then stopped, fret in her tone. _"He said, if you were gone, things would finally be as they should. I asked him where he was and he told me he was with you and that you were on your way to Atlanta. I tried everything to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. So that's when I tried calling you, but you wouldn't answer."_ She tremulously stated. _"So I picked up Carl and came straight here. He could've killed you."_ She gasped, seemingly in new realization. _"I thought he was going to kill you."_ She cried _. "I did this. I couldn't see past my own anger and need. My own desire to get you back at any cost."_ She said. _"I'm so sorry."_ She sincerely expressed.

" _I don't know what you want me to say? That I forgive you, that I understand?"_ Rick asked her with calm fury.

" _I want you to know that I never wanted any of this to happen. I was stupid. I didn't know where else to turn when we decided to divorce. I wanted you back, but you…didn't love anymore."_ She pitifully admitted. _"Shane was the only one there."_

Rick shook his head at her gall, unable to sympathize with her scheming, guilt and terrible judgement. _"I can't do this."_ He then said. _"I can't give you what you want."_

" _I don't want anything…"_

" _But you do."_ Rick disputed. _"You want me to accept your apology and to understand that you were going through some crisis which caused you to create this mess with Shane."_

" _Rick, that's not…"_

" _Stop Lori, just stop!"_ He yelled. _"I'm not doing this anymore. I'm done."_ He exclaimed.

" _Rick I know you're angry…"_

" _You need to go."_ He cut her off. _"You need to take our son and go back to Palmer. Right now."_ He stated, what he had no other choice but to demand. If he could, he would take Carl back himself, because at that point, he didn't know if he could trust her with their son.

" _I know you're angry with me and that…you can deal with me right now, but Carl wanted to see you, to make sure you're okay."_ She tearfully argued. _"He needs to see you Rick, really see you."_

" _I will see my son. I will assure him that I am fine, but when I'm done. You need go."_

" _Rick, I'm truly sorry."_

" _Just go!"_ He ordered and watched in ire as his ex-wife, left the room.

* * *

Michonne stood face to face with the young boy, holding his innocent and curious gaze, in nervous shock, finding it unbelievable that she was standing face to face with Carl Grimes, whom she'd heard so much about, and thus felt like she knew. She couldn't believe that she was finally meeting the one person Rick loved more than anyone –his child. Angst surged in her heart, reminding her of what she wouldn't soon forget that she, just hours before was carrying Rick's child, and that now she was going to have to tell him that it was no more. Michonne drew a breath and swallowed back the intense grief that was racing within, threatening to break her down.

" _Do you know my dad?"_ The young boy asked, breaching her reverie.

Michonne was tempted to tell him no, that she'd made a mistake and was about to enter the wrong room. After all, if Rick's son was there, then his mother couldn't be far away. Perhaps the woman was down the hall or in the room that she was about to enter. The door was closed, indicating the need for privacy. Even though Rick had shown up, coming there from 300 miles away. How so quickly? She in that moment realized and questioned. Moved, she knew by what she'd told him, that she was pregnant. Despite what she'd seen in his eyes, felt it seemed from his soul, she had no idea where they stood. For all she knew, his wife, the mother of his child, could be in that room right now and they could be joyfully reconciling after his harrowing ordeal. She suddenly wondered if she should go, just head home and leave him and the miscues and obstacles that had become their relationship behind. However, her heart said different, strongly urging her to stay, telling her that every adverse thought she had was untrue, that Rick Grimes was everthing she knew him to be and more, that he was her match, the man she'd never looked for, but had found. Thus, she'd fought the logic in her head that was telling her to walk away, and forgone the lie she'd contemplated to truthfully answer the question…

 _"I do."_

 _"How do you know him?"_ Carl quizzed.

 _"He's a friend"_ She replied, then moved to go, determining that Carl being there, had to mean that Lori was in Rick's hospital room. Thus, it'd be best if she waited for a chance to speak with him elsewhere.

 _"How did you meet?"_ The boy pried as he followed, causing her to stop, to return her attention to him and guardedly respond…

 _"I had car trouble. He helped me out."_

" _Today?"_

" _No. A while ago."_ She said, then commenced her retreat, feeling that their conversation had gone far enough, when his words stopped her again.

 _"You're her aren't you?"_ The boy asserted, his tone a combination of interest and realization. " _You're the one that stopped my dad from getting back with my mom."_ Completely thrown, Michonne stood motionless, her back to Carl, not really sure how to respond. How had he known who she was? How had he put it together that she'd been involved with his father? She knew Rick had told him nothing of their relationship except that he'd met someone, not who she was, where she lived and their connection. And why would he think she was responsible for his parent's broken marriage? Anger joined the litany of emotions that were already raging within, due to the experiences she'd endured that day. Could his mother have planted such thoughts? She questioned, remembering Rick's accounts of Lori attempting to sabotage his relationship with Carl. She should walk away. That was the best thing to do, to not even answer. Michonne concluded. However, she couldn't just walk away. She had to address his accusation.

 _"I'm not who you think I am."_ She firmly countered.

 _"Then why did my dad come here?"_ Carl indignantly questioned.

 _"Your dad can answer that."_

 _"He was with you wasn't he? When it happened?"_ He pushed, his irritation growing.

 _"You really should talk with your dad."_ Michonne reiterated again, then again began her exit but the boy blocked her path.

 _"I know he was with you. He came here for you."_ He inferred, exasperation in his eyes and voice. _"This is all your fault!"_ He lashed out. _"If he wasn't here, this never would've happened!"_

 _"Carl!"_ They suddenly heard and looked in the direction of the voice to find that it was who Michonne assumed was Carl's mom. Being as the woman had apparently emerged from the room that was several feet away, making her way the short distance down the hall to them _. "What are you doing?! I'm so…"_ She began to apologize, turning her eyes to Michonne, but Carl stopped her, telling her _"This is the lady dad left us for."_

" _Misonne?"_ Lori scoffed in annoyance.

" _It's Michonne."_ She corrected, matching the woman's suddenly harsh gaze.

" _Carl, your dad wants to see you."_ The woman directed to her son, who rejected the implication in what she'd said and countered by stating that he wanted to remain with her, but Lori uttered the words once more, this time ordering her son to go see his father, to which the boy reluctantly complied. _"What are you doing here?"_ The woman questioned with ire, after her son disappeared from the hall.

" _I could ask you the same thing."_ Michonne retorted, still boiling about the lies she was sure the woman had told Carl about the cause of her marriage to his father being destroyed. _"You're a long way from Palmer."_

" _Rick is my husband."_ Lori fumed. _"I belong here. You don't."_

" _You don't own this hospital or Rick's time."_ Michonne angrily quipped. _"Furthermore, where I belong or don't belong is none of your business."_

" _It is my business when it involves my husband and child."_ The woman strongly contented. _"See that's something you don't get. In Carl, in our child, Rick and I share a bond that can never be broken. And that's why we will always be connected."_ Lori said, striking a nerve she didn't know was there, nearly crushing Michonne in that moment, but she held it together, to counter the woman's boastful assertion.

" _I get it all too well."_ She tartly replied, giving no indication of the wound that had just been doused with a mountain of salt, cutting her deep. _"That you'll do whatever it takes to hold on to the scraps that's left of your relationship with Rick."_ She zinged, causing the woman's cheeks to flame red with fury. _"Even if it means using the son you share."_ She said. ' _You're just a trifling bitch who don't give dam about anything but what you want.'_ Michonne was so closed to saying, but held her tongue, remembering that Rick's son, who loved his mother was just a closed door away as was Rick, and she didn't want to add more fuel to the explosiveness that was the situation _. "You're not worth my time."_ She said instead. _"Never have been. Never will be."_

" _Of course I'm not, because you know you can't compete with what I share with Rick."_

" _I'm not trying to compete."_ Michonne fiercely revealed. _"Because there's nothing there to complete with."_ She charged, then walked away, leaving Lori infuriated beyond words.

* * *

 _"Hey Little Man."_ Rick tiredly exclaimed at the wonderful sight that was his son, whose expression was too serious for his liking.

 _"I'm not a Little Man."_ Carl denied. _"I haven't been a Little Man since I was 9."_

 _"So you're not a Little Man anymore, because you're one year older?"_ Rick lightly queried. " _So what then should you be? Man Boy?"_ He teased. _"Big Carlton?"_

 _"Dad."_ His son laughed, pleasing Rick.

 _"Come here."_ He then requested of Carl, who immediately obeyed, coming to the bed where Rick gave him a sturdy hug. _"I'm okay."_ He reassured him, thinking his son's previous look of discontent was related to worry over his condition.

 _"Did Uncle Shane really do this?"_ Carl asked after pulling back from the hug.

 _"He did."_ Rick answered with honesty.

 _"Where is he now?"_ The boy curiously queried.

 _"In jail."_ He said, his words visibly shaking Carl. _"It's okay. I'm okay."_ He reiterated. _"Just a few bruises here and there."_

 _"If that's true then why are you still here?"_ The boy questioned, his tone etched with anxiousness.

" _Because my head got knocked around a bit during my encounter with Shane, and I have a concussion."_ Rick explained. _"You remember what that can be like. Right?"_ Carl nodded in understanding before asking...

 _"Can I stay the night here with you? Like you and mom did when I was in the hospital?"_

 _"Not this time."_ He said, his response causing Carl to sigh in disappointment. " _You have school tomorrow. So you and your mom are going to drive back to Palmer this evening."_

 _"You staying here?"_ Carl then questioned.

 _"Just for the night; Doctor's orders."_

 _"Are you staying longer?"_

 _"I hope no…"_

" _No, I mean here in Atlanta."_ Carl gingerly clarified.

 _"Why would you ask that?"_

 _"You came here for something."_ His son stated, then paused as if he was unsure whether to say more. _"Was it for her?"_ He then blurted out _. "Was it for Michonne?"_


	25. The Beginning of Forever

**Thank you to all who are continuing to hang with me. I know some have dropped off due to the relentless angst. It's disappointing, but I understand.**

 **However, I do want to let you all know that things are about to get a whole hell of a lot better.**

 **Anyway, I finished edits on this part sooner than expected.**

 **Part II of Chapter 24, which is really just Chapter 25. :/**

 **Chapter Twenty-five**

For a moment Rick was dumbfounded by the statement, silently questioning how Carl knew of Michonne. He'd told him he'd met someone else, a friend, but he'd never given him details about who she was, where she lived, Rick thought before concluding what he should've from the start, that Lori must've have told him more.

" _How do you know about Michonne?"_ Rick measuredly asked when he found his tongue, trying hard to stay his anger at what he was certain Lori had done.

 _"Mom told me she's why you're here in Atlanta and then I saw her outside your door."_

 _"Michonne was here?"_ Rick calmly asked, even as worry and wanting raced through him, wondering if her walking around was a good sign, if the baby was alright. He hoped so. He desperately thought.

 _"Yes but she's probably gone now."_ His son replied, the disquiet now having returned to his face.

 _"Why do you say that?"_ Rick questioned with alarm, but his son didn't answer, instead awkwardly looking away. _"Carl?"_ He pressed, his tone authoritative, prompting his son to suddenly yelled a response…

 _"Because you being hurt is her fault and I told her so!"_

 _"What?!"_ Rick exclaimed, instantly furious. _"Why would you do that when you know it's a lie?"_

 _"To make her leave!"_ Carl justified. _"I don't want her here!"_

 _"That's not your decision to make."_ His father seethed. _"I want her here."_ He admitted to his pouting son.

" _She broke up you and mom and if it weren't for her..."_

" _That is not true!"_ Rick roared, stopping his son mid-sentence, scaring him a little. Rick then sighed in chargrin, briefly dropping his head, shaking it, while taking a breath to still his anger _. "Your mother and I were over long before I met Michonne. We've talked about this, many times"_ He reminded his son. _"So why the change in thought?"_

" _I don't know." The_ boy broodingly shrugged. _"I…just think mom wouldn't have been with Uncle Shane and you wouldn't have been hurt by him if you'd taken her back."_

 _"And what does that have to do with Michonne?"_ Rick honestly asked his son, who took a long moment to answer, thinking.

" _Nothing."_ The boy dejectedly admitted.

" _That's right."_ Rick concurred, pleased and relieved that his son was applying the logic he'd taught him to this situation, no longer allowing his frustration with all that had happened to dictate untruthful conclusions. _"Remember what I told you about blame?"_

 _"That it can be a way to deflect responsibility for ones own choices."_ Carl recited what Rick's father had instilled in him as a child.

 _"No matter the circumstances we all made choices, me, your mom, Shane and those choices were made of our own free will and the consequences of those choices are to be blamed on no one but ourselves."_ He said. _"Do you get what I'm saying?"_ He asked his son who appeared to be genuinely listening, taking his words to heart.

" _Yes."_ Carl nodded in understanding, his sullen demeanor almost completely faded. _"It…I don't know…"_ He sighed then ceased to speak, looking down at his feet, indicating his reluctance to resume, but when Rick urged him to say what was on his mind he continued. _"It…it just…feel like it's too soon, for you to replace mom."_ The boy cautiously declared.

" _Carl, no matter who I date, your mom will always be apart of your life. She will always be your mother."_

" _That's not what I meant."_

" _I know what you meant."_ Rick let his son know. " _But…after a separation like what me and your mother have gone through, people…move forward with their lives. Fall in love again, find a new happiness."_ He carefully explained. _"Sometimes it's right away, sometimes its years down the line."_ He said. _"But they do move on."_

" _Have you, moved on?"_ Carl boldly asked, looking him in the eyes.

" _I have."_ He honestly told him.

" _With Michonne?"_

" _Yes."_ Rick admitted, then nervously asked. _"How do you feel about that?"_

" _I don't know."_ Carl answered, his expression hard to read.

 _"Well that's ok. You don't have to feel anything right now."_ Rick assured. _"All I ask is that you be respectful."_

" _I can do that."_ The boy quietly affirmed.

" _You sure?"_

" _I'm sure."_ Carl answered with more confidence.

* * *

Michonne walked into the waiting room that was down the hall, around the corner and thankfully empty save for her friend.

 _"How did it go?"_ Sasha stood upon seeing her, and the tears that were festering just beneath the surface, nearly overtook her with an uncontrollable cry.

 _"His wife and son are here?"_ She revealed with strength.

 _"What?!"_ Sasha exclaimed. _"What are they doing here?"_

 _"I don't know."_ Michonne sighed as she took a seat in the nearest chair and briefly brought a hand to her eyes, still severely fighting the tears that were pressing on her.

 _"Do I even need to ask how that went, meeting his wife and son?"_ Sasha asked, taking a seat next to her.

 _"Not good."_ She shook her head, closing her eyes.

 _"So I take it you didn't get to see him?"_ Michonne remained quiet unable to answer her friend's question due to the emotion she felt, seemingly becoming close to overflowing.

" _I'm sorry."_ Sasha compassionately uttered.

 _"Don't be, because I'm staying."_ She then determinedly spoke, opening her eyes to stare at the cheap art work that graced the wall ahead.

 _"What? Why?!"_

 _"I have to see him Sasha."_ Michonne stated, her voice breaking for a moment, revealing the struggle she was fighting within. _"I have to tell him what happened."_ She continued, now looking at her friend who met her eyes. _"To resolve this once and for all."_

 _"Chonne I'm all for you talking this out with him but you're exhausted."_ Sasha argued. _"You need to go home and rest. You can speak with him in the morning."_

 _"No."_ She rejected. _"I have to speak with him now."_

 _"Chonne"_

 _"If you have to go I understand. I know you have to get the kids..."_

 _"The kids are with with Sheila and Tyrese."_ Sasha declared. " _I just don't think you should do this, not after all you've been through today."_

"I have to." Michonne stiffly said what she had before.

" _Chon…"_

" _Sasha please!"_ She nearly exploded, her expressed irritation, almost freeing the tears that were on the brink of pouring. _"Don't fight me on this."_ She stated with less severity.

" _Ok."_ Her friend hesitantly conceded, while shaking her head in staunch disagreement. _"I'm here with you, as long as it takes."_

" _Thank you."_

* * *

Rick knew he shouldn't be doing this, pushing himself this way after being diagnosed with a concussion, but after everything that had happened, hours after the fact, he'd still not spoken with Michonne and had no idea how she was. The nurse had told him she was okay, and from Carl's account about seeing her in the hallway, she'd obviously come to see him. Therefore, she was likely fine, but he needed to see for himself, to make sure she was okay, to make sure the baby she was carrying, their baby was fine. Rick moved to get out of bed, wincing at the pain that was progressively returning due to the meds beginning to wear off. His thoughts, for a moment, turning to his son. How the attack by Shane had seemed to reignite Carl's confusion about the divorce.

However, his relationship with his son, the weeks that they'd spent living together and bonding, with minimal effect by outside influences, had paid off. He now shared an understanding with Carl that fostered a deep trust and respect between them. Thus, his ability to talk him off the ledge earlier that evening. Carl was still a ten year old, who'd continue to have moments of immaturity and misguidance, but he would be there to help him through it, and because of their bond that was now stronger than ever, Carl would allow his guidance. Rick felt good about his son, where they'd left things before he and Lori had got back on the road, gently smiling at the memory of Carl having text him several times since they left. Rick put a hand to his head, feeling a hint of dizziness and a faint headache. Everything was going to be alright with Carl. He knew, but Michonne was something different. His thoughts shifted, love and need, once more propelling his determination to see her…

Michonne stood outside the door to the room, the room she'd been waiting to enter for what seemed like hours. Now here she was, the time finally coming after she spotted Carl and Lori, dressed with coats and hats for the weather outside and got on the elevator, obviously leaving for the night. She'd sat for a while with Sasha at her side, not moving, allowing her head to again debate with her heart whether this was the right time, when she'd gathered her courage, reeled in her emotions then made her way to his room. Michonne closed her eyes, took a few calming breathes, when she heard an announcement over the PA, that visiting hours would be over in 15 minutes. The announcement inspired her to proceed, promptly knock on the door, to which a request was made, right away, for her to enter. Michonne cautiously pushed open the door and immediately saw him, Rick Grimes, sitting on the side of the bed, his hand bandaged and his right temple sporting a scar. Her breath caught in her throat, when his eyes met hers, tender with relief, igniting a contented warmth within her.

" _Hey."_ She softly uttered.

" _Hey."_ He quietly responded as he left his seat on the side of the bed and came to join her in the middle of the room. .

" _You're okay."_ She sighed, her heart in that moment feeling full with happiness, driving a stray tear to flow, which he gently wiped away, causing her to close her eyes at the keen feelings his touch stirred.

" _I'm okay."_ He confirmed, his voice uneven due to the joy he felt at finally seeing her, touching her once more. _"But you're not…"_ He emotionally deduced from the hurt that emanated from her stare. _"The baby?"_ He inaudibly asked. Michonne briefly dropped her eyes, then lifted her tearful gaze to his, and he knew. Pain ripped through him, shattering his hope, what he knew was fated, them raising a family together, devastating him. Rick took her in his arms, holding her close, unleashing the flood of tears that she'd been smothering. They remained in the embrace, for a long while, quiet and emotional, grieving over what might've been, what they'd lost, until the intensity of their sadness began to slightly calm.

" _What happened?"_ Rick shakily asked, after they'd slowly ended the embrace and he slipped his un-bandaged hand around hers. For an instant, Michonne closed her eyes, savoring the power in his touch, while contemplating the question she'd asked herself a million times since it happened, then answered…

" _I don't know."_ She faintly stated, her eyes still down _. "The pregnancy was high risk from the start…I had a subchorionic hemorrhage, and when I heard the baby's heart rate…"_

" _You heard the heart rate?"_ Rick woefully interjected.

" _Yes. This morning."_ Michonne replied with fragility as she lifted her gaze and was touched, yet torn by the loving grief in his stare.

" _How long had you known?"_ He then asked, looking down as he sniffled away a tear, still grasping tightly to her hand, comforting them both.

" _Two weeks."_ She sighed.

" _Two weeks?"_ He uttered with hurt, his eyes again meeting hers reflecting the emotion in his voice. _"Why didn't you tell me?"_ His question was followed by a long silence, heavy with uncertainty and sorrow as Michonne tried to organize the feelings and reasoning behind her choice not to tell him right off about the pregnancy.

" _Shock, fear, uncertainty…"_ She then finally answered when it seemed like she wouldn't. _"Until this morning…I didn't even know if I wanted…the pregnancy."_ She confessed and watched in pain as Rick's eyes reflected agony and shock.

" _But then you heard the baby's heartbeat…and called me."_ He guessed aloud, in a hushed tone.

" _Yes."_

" _Would you have told me had you…made another choice?"_ He had to ask, driving Michonne to pull her hand from his, to turn away and put some space between them, deepening his anguish, as she recalled her thoughts during that time, her resentment and confusion, her desire to not even be pregnant and her uncertainty about telling Rick everything.

" _I planned to tell you, no matter my decision."_ She declared, brushing away a tear that drifted to her cheek. _"But honestly I don't know if I would've."_ She revealed as she faced him again. _"You were married. You're still married and living, with your wi…"_ She began to explain when the door to the room suddenly opened and the doctor entered, frustrating them with the interruption.

" _What is going on here?"_ The doctor asked. " _you should be in bed."_

" _Doctor…"_

" _In bed, now!"_ The man ordered. _"You should be resting, your body and your mind, especially with that concussion."_ He continued to scold as an aggravated Rick got back into bed.

" _You have a concussion?"_ Michonne questioned with grave concern.

" _I'll be fine."_ Rick assured, doing little to ease her worry.

" _He will be, if he rests."_ The doctor seriously reiterated as he now checked Rick's pulse and inquired about how he was feeling, when there was an announced over the Hospital PA that visiting hours were over. _"Which that announcement will allow you to do."_ He added.

" _Doctor please, I need to finish this."_ Rick vehemently protested as Michonne looked on, wanting desperately to finish this too, but needing more for Rick to take care of himself and get better.

" _On the contrary. You need to rest."_ The man strongly countered.

" _That's the last thing I need."_

" _Do you want to risk prolonged headaches, seizures, vision disturbances…"_

" _He's right. I should go."_ Michonne interjected before the doctor could fully list the potential adverse affects of not taking care of himself.

" _No."_ Rick firmly rejected, needing her to stay, for fear that if she left some unforeseen circumstance would hinder them working through all that had gone on.

" _Mr. Grimes. She can't stay."_ The doctor said once more, forcing Rick to accept what didn't want to.

" _You need your rest."_ Michonne echoed the doctor's words as she held his gaze that was brimming with so many things unsaid, just about undoing her. _"We'll finish this tomorrow."_ Shepromised. Rick barely nodded, begrudgingly accepting her vow, then watch in heartache as she left his room without another word.

* * *

An Hour Later...

Michonne walked into her empty condo, closing the door behind her, feeling lonely and sad. After leaving the hospital she'd had Sasha take her by her office building so she could pick up her car. Her friend had been emphatically against it. Stating that she'd been through too much, that she was exhausted and needed to just go home and rest, but Michonne had firmly pushed back. She didn't want to be concerned with getting her car the following day and didn't want to bother Sasha and Bob, which would lead to them upsetting their schedules, as they'd done before, to make sure her car was brought home. It didn't make sense. She'd told her friend, when they were driving right by the office building in route to her condo. Sasha didn't like it, but had ultimately conceded, taking her to retrieve her car, then planned to follow her home. However, Michonne had stopped that too.

She'd _"lost the baby, but that doesn't mean I need a caregiver. I don't need you to follow me home."_ She'd told her friend, which Sasha had countered that she shouldn't be alone right now, that it was too much to handle on her own. _"I'll be alright."_ She'd strongly insisted. She understood what Sasha was trying to do, and she really did appreciate her unconditional support, but she just needed to be alone. Michonne could see that Sasha wanted to fight that sentiment, but she'd reluctantly let it go, knowing that she would only make things worse if she forced the issue. _"Promise me if you need anything, even just someone to come over in the middle of the night to talk, you'll call me."_ Sasha had said. _"I will."_ Michonne had honestly replied. Sasha had then vowed to come by the following day to check on her, before giving her a comforting hug.

Michonne walked through the dark condo guided by the light of the moonlight and beautifully lit skyline just out the window. She placed her bag on the couch and made her way to the large window, and stared out, feeling as empty as the streets below, helpless replaying the horrors and heartache of the day through her mind, wondering if she and Rick would ever find their way back to that brief time of happiness weeks ago, when there was no confusion or misunderstandings, where they could just enjoy being together. Maybe they just weren't meant to be. Her heart hurt at the thought. Maybe that's why all the obstacles they'd faced had happened - the fire which drew his wife and child back into his home, delaying the divorce. Why she'd lost the baby.

A deep, sharp sadness, grew in her heart, inciting tears, that were trapped within her, for the time unable to flow. Exhausted, Michonne moved from the window and was making her way to the master bedroom, planning to get a warm shower before attempting to try and sleep, when came a ring at the door, startling her. Sasha must've decided to come by anyway. She tiredly sighed to herself. She was grateful to her friend for everything she'd done for her, but she truly did not want to see anyone, when she went to the door, worn and not thinking, and unwisely opened it without checking the peephole...

 _"Rick"_ She gasped at the sight of him outside her door, looking just as exhausted as her. Yet his eyes were full of fervor and amour.

 _"I can't wait for tomorrow. I love you."_ He uttered with passion, releasing the emotions that moments before seemed buried within her, never to be unleashed again. _"I love you."_ He whispered, once more his voice breaking in tenderness as he gently caressed her cheek. _"And I'm not letting you walk out of my life again."_ He avowed, causing Michonne to break down into a fury of tears, driving him to take her in his arms and hold her tight, knowing in his heart that they'd never be separated again.


	26. The Talk

**Hi all –**

 **I'm posting a little later than usually today. RL and other things were a little distracting this week. Anyway, thank you all for the continued support!**

 **Chapter Twenty- six**

Rick and Michonne held on to one another, tightly, desperately, their hearts full with love and sorrow, lost in each other, feeling a deep sense of peace in the quiet, until the sound of heavy footsteps and talking impeded the moment. Michonne slowly open her still tearful eyes, just in time to see her curious neighbor gazing her way, prompting her to reluctantly withdraw from the comfort of Rick's embrace. Too hearing the noisy arrival of the gentleman that lived across the hall, Rick accepted her retreat, then gently brushed the tears away that had soaked her cheeks, before kissing her forehead and briefly turning away, to shut and lock the door.

" _You shouldn't be here."_ She unevenly uttered as he returned to stand before her, his eyes reflecting so many powerful emotions, but also exhaustion. _"You should be resting at the hospital."_

" _I'll be alright."_ He softly assured as he tenderly caressed her cheek once more.

" _What about Lori and Carl? They'll be looking for you if they decide to return to the hospital."_ Michonne questioned in a near sigh, at the feel of his touch, but then forced herself to step away from him, to distract herself with retrieving a Kleenex from the box that sat atop the decorative table nearby.

Rick watched her as she wiped the remnants of tears from her face, understanding why she was distancing herself from him, but still unable to fight the hurt it caused. _"She and Carl have gone back to Palmer."_ He answered, inciting her to return confused eyes to him. _"Michonne, it's over."_ He then quietly stated, his blue gaze, beautiful and intense, moving her as he carefully stepped closer to her. _"Lori signed the divorce papers, and I filed them with my lawyer earlier today."_

" _You're divorced."_ She gasped in shock at what she honestly thought she'd never hear him say with all that had gone on the past few weeks.

" _It'll be finalized with the courts in two weeks."_ He clarified.

Michonne suddenly felt flushed and thus faint, which prompted her to make her way to the couch and have a seat.

" _You okay?"_ Rick asked with concern as he joined her, taking a seat at her side, stifling a wince at the movement aggravating the ache in his bruised ribs. She answered with a nod, her eyes, lowered as she successfully willed the dizziness to pass _. "What did the doctor say about your recovery?"_ He then asked, wanting so much to touch her again, to provide her with the comfort she needed, but he was reluctant to act, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

" _He said that I'll have some pain, but my body should be back to normal within the next few weeks."_ She solemnly conveyed, her eyes still down.

" _Then physically, you're okay?"_ He questioned once more, needing to be certain that she was having no lingering issues.

" _I am."_ She confirmed as she lifted her gaze back to his, filling him with tenderness and calm. _"But I should be asking you the same thing."_ She continued with her own concern. _"Considering you have a concussion."_

" _I'm alright."_ He repeated what he had before. _"It's more important to me that we talk."_ He seriously added, holding her stare.

" _Me too."_ She concurred, which was followed by an awkward silence, with both nervously looking down, not knowing where to begin to clear the air. When Michonne, conquering her timidity first, raised her eyes back to him and spoke. _"I saw her, Lori, at the hospital when I first came to see you."_ She revealed. _"She called you her husband, and talked about…the bond you shared due to your child."_ She stated, the sting of the woman's words reflecting in her voice, infuriating Rick at what his Ex had said, yet hurting his heart at the distress it undoubtedly caused Michonne.

" _I'm sorry you had to hear that."_ He uttered with genuine impassion as he slipped a hand over hers, covering it where in it lay in her lap, happiness plodding through him, encouraging him, at her choice to accept his comfort. _"I know it was painful."_ He said.

" _It was."_ She sighed and briefly dropped her eyes at the warmth and solace roused by his caring gesture. _"But I'm…okay."_ She said as she continuously recalled the heated exchange she'd had with the woman, then suddenly asked. _"Why was she here? If the divorce is being finalized, why would she follow you to Atlanta?"_

Rick held her gaze that was filled with anguish and persistent doubt, reigniting his fear of losing her, pushing him to expose what he should've weeks ago. He, for a moment, abandoned her eyes and found her hand, taking it in his, which quickened their breaths, at the ardor it stirred within them.

" _There's something you should know."_ He began after returning his eyes to hers. _"Something I should've told you weeks ago."_ He said. Michonne remained quiet, nervous and with a hint of fret at what he'd been keeping from her, worried it would be another issue that would force them to step away from what they had, again. _"The situation with Lori was more complicated than the divorce."_ He continued.

" _How is that?"_ Michonne asked with strength, giving no indication of the anxiety she was feeling within.

" _She began a sexual relationship, with one of my closest friends."_ He revealed, causing Michonne to release a quiet breath as the tension she was feeling melted away, but was quickly replaced by shock as she fully grasped what he'd said.

" _I don't understand? Did this happen recently?"_ Was all she could think to say.

" _I don't know when it started, but it's been going on as late as…last night, and resulted in a man who I thought was my friend, becoming obsessed with her, and Carl, thinking that he could be a better husband, and better father to my son than me."_ He explained. _"It got so bad, that he began to stalk Carl, showing up at his school, his sporting events…"_

" _Oh my God, Rick."_ Michonne gasped in deep concern as she gently squeezed his hand that held hers.

" _I warned Lori about him, even got a restraining order against him."_ He continued. _"But, a week ago, things escalated."_ He said, then went on to tell Michonne about the fight at the Sheriff's department, that led to both he and Shane being suspended. _"The situation became even more volatile due to Lori's behavior."_ He added, then went on to detail how he'd suspected Lori and Shane were in a relationship for a while and when she'd refused to sign the divorce papers he'd gone looking for ammunition to ensure he'd get what he wanted from her, to grant him the divorce. Rick communicated to Michonne what he'd found, the illicit texts between Shane and Lori and how he'd used them to get her to sign the papers. He'd also revealed all she'd confessed when visiting him earlier that evening in the hospital.

" _So she was sleeping with Shane to try and make you jealous and lying to him about the divorce to keep him antagonizing you?"_ Michonne questioned in disbelief when Rick finished his account.

" _Pretty much."_ He confirmed, astonishing Michonne. With the two limited encounters she'd had with the woman, she'd deduced that Lori was a piece of work, but what the woman had pulled with Rick and his friend was just awful. _"And there's more."_ Rick stated, suspending Michonne's musings surrounding what she'd learned, startling her with the news of this story not being finished.

" _Things came to a head today."_ He declared, then revealed that Shane was the assailant that came after him on the steps in front of her place of business.

" _What?!That man pulled a gun on you! Tried to kill you?"_ Michonne exclaimed in fear and shock, the implication of the Shane's intent, hitting her in the gut. When the police told her that Rick had been specifically targeted, she didn't know who it could be, but never would she have guessed it was a friend.

" _Yeah. He did."_ Rick stated with a realization that had seemed to strike deeper than it had before when he'd fully recognized that Shane, one of his closest friends, had tried to kill him. The thought caused the slight ache in his head to spike, and the pain in his side to become more pronounced, inciting a wave of nausea. While Michonne battled an array of emotions – horror, disquiet, agony, but most of all anger at the woman who was in large part responsible for all of this, whose actions if ended in Shane's intended result would've led to Rick being dead, and Carl losing a father. Michonne changed the clasp of their hands, intimately intertwining her fingers with his, then drawing them to her lips, gently kissing it's back, breathing him in. She felt shaken, tearful and anguished at the thought of how much worse things could've gotten, but thankful that the man had failed and thus Rick was still here.

" _Where is he now?"_ She then managed to ask. _"Did they catch him?"_

" _Yes."_ Rick replied in a near sigh at the heat in her caress and after gaining control of the illness he'd felt, which simultaneously lessened the throbbing in his ribs and the ache in his head to a state that was tolerable _. "He's in jail._ _Right now charged with aggravated assault, but I think more charges will be added, due to the escalation of his behavior which led to what he did today."_

" _Do you think he'll get out on bail?"_ She questioned with grave concern as she retuned their enlaced hands to her lap, alarmed at what the man might do if he was released and given the opportunity to come after Rick again.

" _Maybe."_ He honestly answered, which further worried Michonne. _"But, he violated a restraining order, assaulted me, the person the order was to protect and was carrying a weapon while committing a felony. He may get bond, but I think there is a slim chance that he will."_ He said, somewhat easing her mind, recalling cases he'd work such as this in his police work and rarely seeing bail granted for someone whose criminal behavior matched what Shane had done _. "I'm sorry you saw what happened today, and that I didn't keep you in the loop about what was going on."_ He softly added.

" _Don't apologize. You were only doing what I asked."_ She reminded him. _"I told you, I didn't want to know the details, and only wanted to know when it was over. That was a mistake."_ She confessed, now seeing how her desire to not to know, had contributed to the disconnect they'd experienced over the past few weeks. _"I should've asked you to tell me everything that was going on, because not knowing... I questioned where we stood, whether we still had a chance…"_

" _I did the same."_ Rick divulged. _"We were barely texting, and when we talked on the phone we hardly said anything…and then there was Mike."_

" _You mean what happened at Ray's?"_ She questioned with dismay, still regretting her behavior that day.

" _No. I'm passed that."_ He stated without hesitance _. "It's something else. I called you a couple of weeks ago, and Mike picked up your phone. He said, ya'll were back together."_ He revealed, reliving the anger and worry he felt in that moment.

" _He said that?"_ She responded, completely flabbergasted, wondering when he would've had an opportunity to answer her phone and communicate such a lie, when it hit her, inflaming the grief that remained fresh within her as Rick answered the question.

" _Yeah."_ He confirmed. _"I knew he was full of it, but the seed was planted, and with the way things had been going with us, I wondered."_

" _Well just as there were things that you kept from me about the situation with your divorce, there were things I failed to tell you about me and Mike."_ She cautiously replied, which made Rick anxious and reserved, for a moment, worried that he'd been wrong, that Michonne had rekindled her relationship with Mike, but she quickly eased his mind. Confiding to him what she hadn't in weeks, she'd told him about the project she was doing for the company for which Mike was employed and thus had been working closely with him. Additionally, she'd revealed how he'd recommended her for a position with his firm which she described as an amazing opportunity and detailed his attempts to get her to give him another chance, before turning the conversation back to what had started the discussion surrounding Mike, him answering her phone and claiming that she had indeed reunited with him.

" _What Mike told you was a lie."_ She declared _. "He was very helpful, when I needed it, but I never got back with him."_ She said. _"I'd never do that, and I'm sorry his lie caused you doubt. He shouldn't have had my phone and definitely shouldn't have been answering it. But all that was happening that day, presented the opportunity."_ She said, then divulged what had happened, how she'd fainted at his office and was rushed to the ER, which allowed him access to her phone because he'd gone with her to the hospital.

" _Mike was with you when you learned you were pregnant?"_ Rick queried, his tone strained and etched with hurt.

" _He was."_ She cautiously confirmed as she gently squeezed his hand, reassuring him. _"But I immediately sent him away so that I could speak with the doctor alone. I was so... upset."_ She honestly stated, remembering how thrown she felt in that moment, like it was the absolute worst thing that could've happened.

" _About the pregnancy?"_ Rick questioned, unsettled by the revelation.

" _About the pregnancy."_ Michonne quietly affirmed _. "About how my irresponsibility got me into the situation."_

" _But you weren't alone in that."_ Rick countered in the same quiet tone.

" _I know, but I felt like it was all on me, due to my choices."_

" _But they were my choices too…"_

" _I couldn't see it at the time. All I could think was that this wasn't apart of the plan, at least not yet."_ She contended. _"The plan was to focus on my career and now here I was pregnant way before I wanted be."_

" _Is that why you considered…the alternative?"_ Rick asked with difficulty, his eyes down.

" _It is."_ She replied, sadness permeating her voice _. "But I couldn't settle on that choice, kept delaying what I was going to do. I waited almost two weeks after learning I was pregnant and still, I'd not made a decision until this morning."_ She said. _"I think a part of me already knew what my decision was going to be, but I just wasn't ready to accept it, until I heard the heartbeat." She_ uttered in pain.

" _You know I knew something was up."_ Rick shakily confessed as he gently tightened his grip on her hand, consoling her angst and captured her gaze once more. _"I could feel that you needed me, that's why I was so persistent with my calls and texts. I always wanted to see you, talk to you, but this was different, the desire was much stronger, almost instinctual."_ He said. _"I never would've guessed that you were pregnant, but when you told me, I was excited, happy."_ He tenderly admitted, replaying the possibilities that sprung in his heart upon learning the news. _"I knew it wasn't the best time, with me just coming off a divorce and you being focused on your career, but I knew that it could work."_ He said. _"And I would've been with you all the way."_ He somberly earnestly expressed.

" _I know that now."_ Michonne closed her eyes in regret.

" _We should've waited."_ He then tiredly uttered aloud, inciting bewilderment from Michonne, thinking of all that had gone on in the seven weeks since the fire, how it all seemed to have gone to hell since it happened. _"You wanted to wait six months to give us time to settle our lives, our previous relationships, but I came to you three months too early."_

" _I didn't turn you away."_

" _No you didn't, but maybe you should've."_ He emotionally replied. _"We should've waited. I should've waited the six months like you wanted. Maybe we could've avoided all of this."_

" _Maybe. But we're here now."_

" _Yeah. We are."_ He agreed, holding her gaze, as he lifted his bandaged hand to her face, gently caressing it. _"So what next?"_ He then asked with love, knowing what he wanted, seeing the same in her eyes but needing her to say it _._ Michonne softly smiled, recalling the good and bad of the past few weeks. In spite of it all, happy that it had led her back to Rick. She then brought his bandaged hand that lay on her cheek to her lips and tenderly kissed it, before leaning forward and slowly, passionately caressing his mouth with hers _._

" _I love you."_ She breathed, upon hesitantly pulling away. Rick smiled against her mouth, a fiery joy igniting in his soul, racing through him, bringing tears to his eyes as he recommenced their kiss, taking her lips with urgency and amour.


	27. The Calm and the Storm

**Thanks everyone for continuing to take this journey!**

 **Chapter Twenty- seven**

Michonne completed a call with the Fulton County jail. She'd woken 45 minutes earlier to take some Advil for the cramps she was persistently having because of the miscarriage. She'd then called her boss to tell the woman she wouldn't be in to work that day and likely wouldn't be in for the next couple of days. With the intense workload, the woman was not pleased that Michonne would be missing anytime from work right now, until Michonne explained why she was going to be out. She'd confessed all that had happened, save for her pregnancy and miscarriage, letting the woman know about the incident the night before, how she and a close friend had been attacked at gunpoint right in front of the office building. She'd told her boss how they'd both ended up at the hospital and had spent most of the night there before arriving home late the previous evening. The woman had been horrified and shocked and had asked a litany of questions about the situation, all which Michonne answered.

She had expressed sorrow over what happened and understanding about Michonne being terribly shaken over the events that had taken place. The woman had then instructed her to get some rest and not to worry about work, that things would get taken care of until she returned. Michonne had been relieved at the support, and therefore thanked the woman for her understanding. After she hung up with her boss, she'd made the difficult call to her OBGYN and updated her scheduled appointment. She was due to go back the in a few days for a follow up so the doctor could monitor the baby's heart rate and growth, but since she'd lost the baby, she'd called to let them know, and change her appointment simply to a checkup. It had been an agonizing call, which caused her to shed a few tears, after, but she'd taken a few moments to get herself together, then made another call to the Fulton County jail to check up on Shane Walsh.

She wanted to know when he'd be arraigned and thus released. To her relief, his court hearing would not be held until the following day, and therefore he had not been released. She knew what Rick had said, that it was unlikely that Shane would receive bond. However, justice could often be blind and thus, people didn't always receive the punishment that was due them. Therefore, she'd called the jail to be sure, not that there was anything she could do about it if the man had been released on bond. Hell, he still could, be released, but she had to know what was happening now, and planned to keep an eye on the case so that she nor Rick would be surprised by Shane showing up unexpectedly again and trying hurt him.

Michonne shivered at the thought as she made her way down the hall, pushing the horror of that possibility from her mind, not wanting to think any more about what the man had done, only wanting to focus on the here and now, on Rick. The night before, after she'd professed her love to him, which she still couldn't believe she'd done. As crazy as it was, in the short time they'd known each other, she knew that she loved Rick, but she hadn't been ready to say it, why? She didn't know.

Maybe because his divorce was still hanging over their heads; maybe because it'd mean they'd be full steam ahead which meant, what she didn't know. The feelings they shared could be so easy, yet so intense, almost scary, unlike anything she'd ever felt before. But when he'd asked her what was next, the only answer she could give him was that she loved him, which meant she was ready for them to move forward together. Rick had been deeply moved to hear her say those three words, ecstatic, after which, nothing more was said, for he'd crashed from utter exhaustion. At first she'd been alarmed, thinking it was the concussion causing a serious medical issue, but quickly realized that he was just dead tired.

It was as if the weight of all that he'd been going through, what they'd needed to discuss, which had been weighing him down, keeping him awake, charging him with adrenaline, had lifted. And once their much-needed conversation was over, it freed him to rest. She'd barely kept him coherent enough to make it to her bedroom, where she'd learned that not only did he have a concussion and a sprained hand, but that his ribs had been bruised too, due to the yelp and groan he'd made when she'd helped him in the bed. She'd managed to get him to take a couple of Tylenol to ease the pain before she'd then assisted him in taking off his shoes and pants, leaving him only in his boxers and a t-shirt to sleep. She'd then jumped in the shower to clean up. The warm water had done her good, relaxing her, along with the knowledge that there were no more secrets between them. Once she'd finished her shower, she'd made her way to the bed and crashed herself, sleep overtaking her as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Now, yet tired, Michonne yawned as she walked into her bedroom to find that Rick was still soundly asleep. She slipped under the sheets beside him, then, for a minute, watched him closely to make sure he was breathing okay. He was, after all, suffering from a concussion. She didn't know what to expect from that. She didn't even know if he should be sleeping so much, but remembered what he'd told her weeks ago about how Carl's concussion had been handled. Nevertheless, she wanted to make sure he was alright. When she saw that his breathing was steady and strong, that he looked more peaceful than she'd seen him in a while, she relaxed at his side and quickly fell into tranquil sleep herself.

* * *

Three - hours later

A loud crash of thunder, along with a hard rain, hitting the windows, gradually stirred Michonne, interrupting what had been a wonderfully calming dream. She lay there a moment, her eyes closed as she lightly stretched, quietly groaning at the relief it brought, before she then languidly opened her eyes to find the most beautiful tender blue gaze, staring back at her.

" _What are you doing?"_ She shyly gasped with surprised.

" _Watching you."_ Rick quietly replied with a smile, then leaned forward and gently kissed her lips.

" _For how long?"_ She sighed as he pulled away.

" _I don't know."_ He honestly uttered. For after he'd awoke, he'd gone to the restroom, answered a couple of texts from Carl, but had not been tracking how long it had been since he'd returned to the bed and had become mesmerized by watching her peacefully sleep. Rick briefly turn away and came back with a box of Altoids. Opening it, he handed her one, making her laugh, then popped one in his own mouth before putting the box away.

" _Now who's ruining the moment?"_ She retorted with mirth, then put a piece of the candy in her mouth, referencing what he'd said to her the first time she'd handed him an Altoids, that morning after they'd first made love.

" _This is a moment?"_ Rick lightly joked, his gaze a mixture of muted joy and love.

" _What do you think?"_ She softly replied, then chastely kissed his lips. _"How are you feeling?"_ She then asked.

" _Better."_ He truthfully replied as Michonne watched him closely, knowing that it was an honest response. For everything about him look better. There was more life in his eyes and his coloring was less faded, but still, she'd feel better if they got reassurance from a doctor.

" _How about you?"_ He asked before she could voice her lingering concerns.

" _Better."_ She echoed his thoughts _. "I should take you back to the hospital and have the doctor look at you one more time."_ She said, turning the conversation back to him.

" _Michonne…"_

" _Just to make sure your head is okay."_ She quietly spoke over him.

" _They did an MRI yesterday. I'm okay."_ He assured. _"I just need rest, which I'm getting right here."_ He uttered, then kissed her lips once more.

" _Ok. But what about your hand and ribs?"_ She countered, futility trying to ignore the fervor his kissed caused, knowing that they couldn't act on it with her still recovering from the miscarriage and him from his fight with Shane.

" _I am feeling a little soreness."_ He slowly admitted, reigniting her alarm which he'd managed to abate with his previous response. _"But it's nothing that a Tylenol can't cure."_ He added.

" _You sure?"_

" _I'm sure."_ He confirmed, the certainty in his eyes, calming the last of her worries, driving her to gently grasp his bandage hand and caress it with her mouth, before bringing it to rest over her heart. Michonne closed her eyes and breathed with ease, again thankful that he was here and okay, when Rick drifted into her thoughts, inciting her to meet his gaze again.

" _We didn't finish our conversation from last night."_ He uttered in a hushed tone. _"What's next for us."_ He said. _"I want, to start over or continue, whatever it is we need to do to be together, I'm here for it."_ He vowed, his gaze beautifully intense, flooding her with love.

" _Me too."_ She concurred, rousing happiness and amour in Rick's heart. _"But, there has to be some changes before we can move forward…No more secrets. We tell each other everything, no matter how hurtful or…scary it may be."_

" _No more secrets."_ Rick whispered in agreement as their eyes remained fervidly bound.

" _Ok, well...I have something to confess."_ She uttered. Rick spoke no response, but patiently waited for her to continue _. "I take that back…it's not a confession really, but there is something you should know."_ She hesitantly stated. _"Last night, I not only had a run in with Lori…I also met Carl."_

" _I know."_ Rick replied, bewildering Michonne. _"He told me."_

" _What did he tell you?"_

" _Everything."_

" _He told you that he accused me of keeping you and Lori apart? And blamed me for you being in the hospital?"_

" _He did."_ Rick confirmed, surprising Michonne. _"And I talked to him about that."_

"What did you tell him?"

" _I got on to him about speaking what he knew was a lie."_ He detailed as he gently caressed a lock of her hair, playing with its tip. _"And reminded him about the importance of taking responsibility of one's own choices."_

" _Did he accept what you had to say?"_

" _He confessed that he felt it was, too soon… for me to move on from his mom."_ He cautiously revealed.

" _That was expected."_ Michonne sighed, then worriedly turned to lay on her back, concluding that was why the boy had lashed out at her, because no matter all that had happened, he wanted his parents back together.

" _It was."_ Rick agreed, giving no indication of the concern he felt over her disquiet. _"But I explained to him that after a divorce, people eventually move on. I let him know, that I've moved on…with you."_

" _What?!"_ Michonne softly exclaimed, returning her attention to him. _"I'm sure that went over well."_ She uneasily scoffed.

" _He didn't run from the room in a huff, but he wasn't jumping for joy either."_ Rick disclosed. " _It's going to take some time for him to get used to the idea that I've moved on. But he'll get used to it."_

" _And if he doesn't?"_

" _He'll get used to it. And with time, he'll grow to love you. I'm sure of it."_ Rick strongly assured once more, holding her gaze, conveying to her his absolute belief that Carl would come to accept her, accept their relationship, bringing her so close to believing, but not quite, as she recalled the anger the little boy displayed at her, believing that she'd destroyed his family. _"I know you're worried, but it'll be okay."_ He added. Michonne nodded her head as she briefly dropped her eyes, forcing herself to embrace his belief, for now. _"Come here."_ He then huskily requested and she complied, shifting his way, which allowed him to pull her into his arms, holding her against him as he brushed her forehead with his lips, releasing a heavenly heat through her form. It was somewhat strange, being so close to him in bed with both covered – him in boxers and a t-shirt and her in a pair of PJ pants and matching tank, but it still felt just as intimate, as if they were nude having just made love.

" _We shouldn't stay like this all day."_ She breathed, even as she nestled her head in his neck, breathing in his intoxicating male scent. _"We should probably get something to eat."_

" _We should, but not yet. I just want to stay here a little longer."_ He sighed, then pulled her closer, gently tightening his arms around her, kissing her forehead once more and groaning at the amazing joy and amour she kindled within him. They remained there, in that moment, for a long while, quiet and contented, listening to the thunder and the rain, speaking occasionally into the quiet about things they'd wanted so much to talk about during the weeks past; not all the trouble that life had been throwing their way, but just the monotony of life. Rick mentioned his improved diet, all due to her, which had been a happy surprise for Michonne, how he'd been eating better and getting in more exercise. He'd also mentioned the project he was working on with Morgan and several other officers in his department, to engage kids in underprivileged communities by getting them involved in positive activities and was partnering with a Foundation based in Savannah on creating some mentoring programs. Michonne had been thrilled to hear of the project and had offered to partner with him and the department to do some art classes for the kids, which he'd excitedly welcomed.

They talked the election, their disbelief over the newly elected President, joked about leaving the country and discussed their concerns about how the results were already causing a negative impact on the Country's mood. She'd told him how lately she had little time for anything but work, which she admitted was starting to cause her to feel the initial symptoms of burnout. However, she had managed to attend the Halloween party she'd mentioned to him before their breakup. _"I went dressed as Storm from X-men."_ She'd told him. Rick had in turn commented on how sexy he was certain she looked and would've loved to have seen that. _"Maybe I'll show you sometime."_ She'd uttered, then tasted his lips with tamed passion and asked about Carl's trick or treating adventures.

Rick had astonished her with the news that Carl had completely changed his costume, from superhero to Sheriff's Deputy. _"I wonder who could've inspired him to make that change?"_ Michonne quipped with gaiety. _"It wasn't me."_ Rick had laughed. _"Well I didn't ask him to make that change. He just came home one day and said that's what he wanted to be."_ Michonne couldn't help but comment on how sweet it was that he wanted to be like him, which had sparked a long discussion about Rick wanting more for his son, for him to live a life beyond Palmer. Do and see more than he had in his life. _"I want him to learn from me, but not be me. You understand?"_ He asked. Michonne had told him that she did, but encouraged him to allow Carl go where he's led and assured that no matter what path he eventually chose, with him as his father, he'd grow to be his own man. _"I hope so."_ Rick had replied, heartened by her wisdom, before the conversation had drifted to her job with her telling him of all the drama going on there and her choice to not go in today. She couldn't _"after all that had gone on yesterday."_ She'd said. When their discussion had moved to Mike and his part in the offer she'd been presented with his firm. She'd provided Rick with more details about the position and her plans to interview for it in a few weeks, but how she was now uncertain about it all.

" _Mike is still…attached. He wants to get back together, and me working with him and him being there when I learned…I was pregnant isn't helping."_ She'd stated with difficulty, her heart hurting at what had been lost, with Rick sensing her feelings and experiencing his own pain, strengthen his arms around her. " _As much as I want an opportunity at that position, I don't think it's workable with Mike being a part of the equation."_ She said, which led to her and Rick discussing the pros and cons of the position, outside of Mike, what might be negotiable i.e. travel, where she was based, the projects she managed. Rick had admitted that he didn't want her to take the job for the obvious reasons, because she'd be working with her ex, she'd be traveling a lot and may possibly have to move to New York, but he encouraged her to at least interview, see what comes from the it, even if she decided not to take the job, another career opportunity could potentially come from the experience. He'd pointed out. So, she'd decided to not cancel the interview just yet. She'd take more time to think about it, when their conversation had gradually quieted, overtaken by the sounds of heavy thunder and relentless rain, drenching the streets outside, until they fell into another peaceful slumber.

* * *

Hours later they'd awaked again to find that the day was still stormy. However, they'd ventured out of the bedroom, with Rick getting a quick shower and throwing on a t-shirt and a pair of boxers he'd left behind the last time he was at her place, while the clothes he'd had on earlier were being washed, before he'd joined Michonne in the living room. They'd snacked on a bowl of fruit – grapes, sliced apples, strawberries and melon while catching the last hour of _28 Days Later_ on SyFy, which both were watching for the first time. Michonne had initially been against them watching television, thinking it wouldn't be a good idea with Rick still recovering from his concussion, but he'd maintained that he would be okay. If he did one activity at a time, i.e. no watching TV and talking on the phone all at once, he should be okay. He'd explained and promised to tell her if he started to feel unwell. So, they'd watched, and debated what would happen if the world was taken over by enraged zombies. Would they survive? Would the world be overtaken by tyrants and/or psychos, of the humans who lived? Rick was sure it would be, as did Michonne, with both citing what happened in the movie. Furthermore, Rick was unsure about his survival, but Michonne begged to differ, reminding him that he was a cop and that he'd be the best type to survive a zombie apocalypse. When he'd asked _"What about you?"_ to which she'd answered _"I don't think so. I'd probably die in the first round of folks taken out by the zombies."_

" _I doubt it."_ Rick had confidently countered to a skeptical Michonne. _"There's a fire and toughness about you, that you don't see."_

" _Really?"_ She smiled in wonderment.

" _Yeah."_ He confirmed without a doubt. _"I think you'd be alright. You'd probably save yourself and few others in a zombie apocalypse."_

" _You think?"_

" _Sure. You'd might even save me."_ He stated with a softness that warmed her heart, yet stirred her doubt.

" _Ok now you're just pulling my leg."_ She'd contended, giving him a gently side eye.

" _Not pulling your leg."_ He claimed, then followed it up by tenderly taking her lips. Michonne's smile broadened as he pulled away, his eyes a sea of love and mirth.

They'd continued their discussion, having a good laugh about the heinous food choices and hygiene problems and her choice of a weapon, which she'd said would likely be anything but a gun. It was a fun discussion, that had them fervidly laughing for the first time in weeks. It had felt amazingly normal, like everything was going to be okay despite the challenges they still faced.

After finishing the movie they'd been famished and had not really been up for cooking. Therefore, they'd decided to order a pizza. While waiting for it to be delivered, Michonne prepared a toss salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, cherry tomatoes, stick carrots, onions and feta cheese. She'd insisted that Rick, sit down and rest while she fixed the salad. He'd already been doing too much with his injuries. She'd argued, but he wanted to help and refused to just go away and let her do it alone. Thus, she'd grudgingly allowed him to assist her, but had stepped away when she received a call from her boss, and had to go into her office to pull some information the woman needed from her computer.

Rick had continued making the salad, which went slow since he could only fully use one hand, eating more feta cheese than he was putting in the salad, when the doorbell rang. He then stopped what he was doing, pulled the money for the pizza from his wallet while he leisurely made his way to the door. Glad that the food had finally arrived, his mouthwatering at the thought, while realizing it was time to take more Tylenol due to his ribs starting to slightly throb again, when he opened the door to find it was Mike Thompson. Anger instantly ignited within Rick as he recalled the lies the man had told on the call they'd had and how he was doing every deceitful thing he could to get Michonne back.

" _Is Michonne home?"_ The man had the nerve to ask, after quickly replacing the shocked look in his eyes with determination.

" _What are you doing?"_ Rick questioned with controlled ire.

" _What I'm doing is none of your dam business."_ Mike retorted.

" _It is my business being as I'm answering Michonne's door."_ Rick fiercely countered. _"How many times is she going to have to tell you that your relationship is over before you get? Are you going to keep showing up on her doorstep, offering jobs with your company and…lying to anyone that'll listen about the nature of your relationship forever?"_

" _You really think that she's right for you, that this, whatever this is, is going to work due to a baby?_ " The man harshly stated, unknowing twisting the knife in Rick's heart, that still bled due to the loss of his child with Michonne. _"Well let me tell you something about Michonne. The last thing she wants, is to be barefoot and pregnant playing house. She thrives off the excitement of her career, the freedom to go and do without the constraints of a family. The last thing she wants is to be tied to a white picket fence and a house full of children."_

" _You're really more desperate than I thought, pathetic even with your grand lies in a sorry attempt to get Michonne back."_ Rick brutally charged, after allowing the pain the man's words had stirred, to feed his growing fury instead of break him down _. "Do you really think you're going to win this? That your lies will somehow manifest themselves into a reality that includes Michonne?"_ He condescendingly asked. " _I really want to know? How do you expect this to end?"_

" _Not with you standing where I should be."_ Mike seethed. _"She deserves bet…"_

" _Mike, what are you doing here?!"_ Michonne exclaimed as she came upon the scene and instantly slipped her hand in Rick's, which, she could see, further infuriated Mike.

" _When you weren't at our daily update meeting today, I got worried. Suzanne wouldn't provide any details, just that you had a personal emergency and wouldn't be in for a couple of days."_ He explained as he struggled to keep the bitterness out of his tone. _"I came by to make sure you're okay."_

" _Thank you for your concern, but you need to leave."_ Michonne stated with her own exasperation _._

" _He doesn't know you Chonne. He'll never make you ha…"_

" _Goodbye Mike."_ She strongly interjected, giving him frigid eyes and watched the man hesitate, obviously wanting to say more, before he left in frustration.

As soon as he was gone, Michonne shut the door and turned to Rick. _"Are you okay?"_ She asked with concern, uneasy not by the anger, but the deep pain she saw in his eyes.

" _Yeah."_ He uttered with a slight smile, then took her mouth with loving hunger, his hand gently caressing the lobe of her ear, her soft cheek, as he pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. His heart was aching at the wound left by the miscarriage by the stinging words of Mike Thompson, but soaring at the fact that this beautiful woman loved him, and that no matter their ongoing challenges they'd get through them together.

" _What did he say to you?"_ She breathlessly asked, her body, her heart now smoldering with fire.

" _It doesn't matter."_ He quietly answered, then kissed her forehead. _"Let's finished that salad."_ He said, then slipped his arm around her back and guided a still curious, yet contented Michonne towards the kitchen.


	28. The White Picket Fence

**Hi all – RL and once again other things have interfered with my writing, which is why I haven't been posting like usual.**

 **Anyway, I only have about 2-3 more chapters of this story before I'll be wrapping it up. Thanks again for the continued support!**

 **Chapter Twenty- eight**

The past three weeks had been better. Everything had been better since he and Michonne had cleared the air and spent four days healing, physically and emotionally, and getting reacquainted with one another. During his stay in Atlanta, they'd talked a lot about all that had happened – the good, the bad and the heartbreaking. How they planned to move forward –by being honest with each other and taking their relationship day by day. And just life in general – their plans for Thanksgiving, she would be spending it with Sasha and Bob, and he with his parents and Carl; Dating - whether their next weekend together would be in Palmer or Atlanta, TV shows -he'd managed to get her into _Hell on Wheels_ and they'd discovered a show neither had ever watched, but came to enjoy – _The Expanse_. Cars – she needed a new one a while ago, and he promised he'd help her look the next time he was in Atlanta. Exercise, food, movies, they'd easily picked up where they'd left off, conversing about everything and nothing, preparing meals and ordering takeout, agreeing and disagreeing about nonsense, and just enjoying each other's company, reconnecting without any awkwardness.

Having missed three days of work, recovering, Michonne had returned to the job on day four, while Rick had finally received clearance from the doctor to drive, and thus he could return to Palmer. While he'd savored every second he'd had with Michonne and had no desire for it to end, it was time for him to return to his life in Palmer – his job and most importantly Carl, who'd become increasing antsy about him being away so long, expressing his fear that he didn't plan to return – thoughts which Lori was in part responsible for planting. He needed to be in Palmer, with Carl, to continuously show him that he was his priority and that nothing was going to change that, but first there was something he needed to do in Atlanta – See Shane.

Michonne had been completely against it, reminding him that this man had tried to kill him, that to go and see Shane, who was being held without bond and in addition to aggravated assault was now facing attempted murder charges, would only antagonize the man more, which wouldn't be good for any of them. Rick had considered her warning, but decided he had to do this. He knew it was likely pointless, but he had to know if the man was ever his friend. He had to try and understand why all this had happened. So, he'd gone to see Shane, and it had not gone as expected. It was almost as if the man was coming down off some kind of high, a high that had been Lori and her lies. He seemed truly stunned by what he had done. However, when pressed, he'd admitted that he always envied him, envied his ability to find success, to have a wife and family who loved him.

He'd further stated that in college, he'd seen Lori first, and therefore always thought that she should've been his, that the life Rick built with her belonged to him, _"but even when I was giving her everything she wanted, in bed and out of it, she always wanted you. And would use me to whatever end to get your attention."_ The man had sadly, bitterly confessed. _"I was fool enough to believe that I could change that, that I could make her see that_ _ **I**_ _loved her, that_ _ **I**_ _would do anything for her, but she couldn't see it. Didn't want to."_ Shane had followed his confession with a heartfelt apology, leaving Rick speechless. The visit had not been what he'd been expecting and apart of him wondered if the man was playing an act, in an effort to get him to request the charges be reduced. After all, this was what Rick had been waiting to hear, but he didn't know if he believed him.

Thus, he'd left without giving Shane absolution, returning "home" to the condo, to find Michonne was back from work. She'd been upset to learn that he'd gone to see Shane and had fiercely scolded him about it. However, Rick had explained the reasons for his actions, which she still did not understand and revealed every detail of their conversation, with Shane's apology being something she too couldn't believe.

The news of his visit with Shane, had at first, put somewhat of a damper on his last evening there, but they'd talked it out – with him apologizing and agreeing to never visit Shane again, which had calmed her anger and incited her own apology for overacting to the visit.

* * *

Now, three weeks later he and Michonne were embarking upon their first "date," the first time they would be able to truly see each other, touch each other since he'd left her condo that cold November morning nearly a month ago. It had not been an easy journey to this day. For Lori was still being a thorn in their sides. She'd fought so harshly his plans to have Carl spend Thanksgiving with him, that in the end he'd relented, in an attempt to keep their relationship as healthy as possible, and thus cause minimal angst for Carl. Nonetheless she hasn't stopped there, but had tried to block the divorce, claiming she'd signed the papers under duress. She'd even been granted a hearing to argue her claim, but the judge had ruled in his favor granting him the divorce, which would be finalized after the New Year.

In the mist of it all, he and Michonne moved forward with their relationship. They'd resumed texting and talking multiple times a day, had done several Skype dates here and there, but nearly each time they'd been interrupted by Carl who claimed to be having some kind of crisis that needed his attention. However, after Rick had prematurely ended the "date" he'd learn that there was no crisis at all, but Carl manipulating the situation to try and sabotage the time he was spending with Michonne. Rick reproached Carl for his behavior, had even disciplined him a couple of times because of it, banning him from TV and the internet for a few days, but still the issue remained.

Just that day, he'd been delayed in leaving Palmer for Atlanta, due to Carl once again trying to exploit the situation, to sabotage his visit with Michonne, pretending to be afraid to be alone with his mother for fear someone would come and hurt him, specifically the person that started the fire. It had taken Rick nearly two hours to "calm" Carl enough to go to Lori's, but that hadn't come without a price. For his son had stormed out of the house to the car, but not before accusing that he loved Michonne more than him. Rick had emphatically denied this claim, but it did no good in easing the situation. For they'd not said a word in route to his mom's and Carl had left the car in a huff when they'd arrived.

Rick had thought about calling him during his drive to Atlanta, but decided against it. He figured Carl needed some time to cool off. He'd call him later that evening to check in, but right now he wanted to focus on Michonne. This was going to be their first weekend together since they'd gotten back together, and he wanted to be completely focused on her, to give her a wonderful time.

* * *

Atlanta, Georgia

Michonne gazed at what she thought was her attractive reflection in the mirror, then nervously made more adjustments to her hair before refining her light make up once more. She had to admit, the cream turtleneck sweater she wore made her skin glow, and the snug jeans and stiletto boots made her figure look particularly feminine and sexy. Michonne turned around to take another quick view of her ass, then drew a nervous breath and scolded herself for acting like a school girl going on her first date. _"This is silly."_ She spoke aloud. Reminding herself that she and Rick had made love for God's sake. Thus, their experiences with each other were not new, and yet they were. Though this was hardly the first time they would be going out, it would be the first time they'd be together since he'd spent four days with her three weeks earlier. She was happy that they'd finally be in the same room again, sharing the same space and was excited about the uncertainty of their plans, having no idea what they were going to do, except go Christmas shopping for Carl. It had been a tough few weeks, dealing with the ongoing issues with Carl and Lori. The former not ready to accept that Rick had moved on, and therefore disrupting nearly every call or Skype date she and Rick had. His interruptions had gotten so bad that they had to start planning calls and "dates" when Carl was not around. Then there was Lori who was doing everything in her power to make co-parenting difficult and stop the divorce. Thankfully her attempt at the latter had failed, but the struggle continued as evidenced by Rick's delay in arriving, due to the tantrum Carl had pulled. She couldn't deny that it concerned her, how the situation with Carl seemed to be going backwards, but what could she do? She couldn't make Carl accept her, maybe time would manage that feat. Meanwhile, all she could do was move forward with Rick.

Work had quieted some before Thanksgiving, but had picked back up after the holiday along with Mike's persistent, albeit subtle, pursuit of her. His continuous actions had led to her confessing all to her boss, her past and present with Mike, and had in turn requested to transition off the project. However, the woman had vehemently rejected the request, stating that Michonne was critical to the success of the project and thus needed to work through her conflict with her ex. It had been a difficult situation but she was doing the best she could with it, keeping her communication with Mike to an absolute minimum. Furthermore, she'd turned down the interview in New York with his firm, but had received other offers - one from her current employer, a promotion, and two from outside firms. Whatever was next with her career, change was coming, and Mike would be completely out of her life soon enough.

* * *

Suddenly the doorbell rang, stirring her heart, making her giddy with anticipation. She drew a calming breath, took one more glance in the mirror, then made her way to the foyer. Michonne opened the door to find Rick standing before her, looking sexier than ever in a dark brown shirt, leather jacket and a pair of jeans. Her breath caught in her throat at his smoldering blue eyes staring at her with love.

" _Hey."_ He quietly beamed, then took her in his arms, holding her close, loving her scent, the feel of having her in his arms again.

" _Hey."_ She sighed at his strong arms around her.

" _You look …great."_ He stated, as they slowly ended their embrace, him gazing at her with adoration and ardor.

" _You too."_ She uttered with a hint of shyness that precipitated a delightful, yet nervous silence. " _I should get my coat."_ She eventually said, then turned to retrieve it, when Rick gently grabbed her, pulling her to him and took her lips, hotly, tenderly.

" _I'll get my coat."_ She breathed against his mouth.

" _You're not going to invite me in?"_ He huskily questioned as he caressed her cheek.

" _No."_ She shakily replied, surprising him as she stepped away from him, thinking what inviting him in might mean. Though the doctor had given her a clean bill of health weeks ago and her body was back to normal. She sadly thought, recalling again what she had many times over the past few weeks, what they'd lost. She desired Rick, more than he knew, but she wasn't yet ready to make love again. Michonne grabbed her coat from the closet, put it on, then closed the condo door and locked it behind them.

" _So what's the plan?"_ He asked, capturing her hand in his as they stepped onto the elevator.

" _What's the plan?"_ Michonne retorted with feigned outrage. _"You're the one who wanted to come here to go Christmas shopping for Carl."_

" _That's not the only reason why I'm here."_ He declared, then seized her mouth, just as the elevator doors closed before them.

Being as they were getting a late start, they'd forgone breakfast for Starbucks coffee and from there began their shopping adventure. They'd ended up at the usual stores - Walmart, Target, Kmart, looking for a specific game Carl had requested for the Xbox his grandfather had replaced due to the fire. However, each store, which were packed with shoppers, were sold out of the game. Still, they'd been able to make good use of the stops, with Rick finding a few other things for Carl, specifically socks and clothes that needed to be further replenished after most was lost during the fire.

* * *

From there, they'd gone to Atlantic Station in Midtown Atlanta with a plan to visit the Pandora store. Michonne wanted to pick up a charm for her 8-year old niece, but they'd gotten distracted by the beautifully light adorned Christmas tree at is center, which was surrounded by a Christkindlmarket (Christmas German Market) – several booths selling handmade and homemade German toys, chocolate, pastries and quilts. They'd tried some of the chocolates and Michonne had found a lovely quilt for her great aunt, before they left the market, hand in hand, enchanted by the holiday décor, giving a magical ambience to their outing as they finally made their way towards Pandora.

" _Ice skating, that's something you don't see everyday."_ Rick asserted, nostalgia in his tone, upon them discovering the rink just as they crossed the street towards their destination.

" _You want to give it a try?"_ Michonne asked, slowing their stride.

" _Give it a try? Don't you know? Ice skating is my second love."_ Rick lightly scoffed.

" _What? You have got to be kidding me."_ Michonne blithely voiced in disbelief.

" _Not kidding"_ He replied, hardly able to keep the smile off his face.

" _I knew it! There's no way you're a fan of figure skating."_ She laughed, guessing that his smile meant that he was pulling her leg.

" _Why can't I be a fan?"_ He chuckled.

" _Because it's just not you."_ She quipped. _"You're hiking, fishing and football, not figure skating."_ She said, deepening his amusement.

" _That still doesn't mean I can't skate."_ He then pointed out.

" _I never said you can't skate. But can you ICE skate?"_

" _Yeah I can. Pretty damn good too."_ He confidently replied.

" _Is that a challenge?"_ She questioned, holding his gaze.

" _Do you want it to be?"_ He smirked.

Fifteen minutes later they were on the ice. Unfortunately, it was rough, not like anything that would be found at a real ice rink. The skates were a little dull and uncomfortable, and thus difficult to skate on. Despite the challenges, Rick had shown that he really was good at ice skating, better than she ever thought he would be. He had more speed than her and even managed a couple of tricks that she'd never try. He spun her around a few times, mimicking dancing on the ice and taught her how best to skate backwards. Ultimately it had been fun.

" _So where did you learn to ice skate?"_ She asked when they returned to skating side by side, their fingers intertwined.

" _My great grandparents had a cabin up in Murphy, North Carolina. We used to go up one weekend each winter and there was a very small, very shallow pond nearby that would freeze over. We'd go skating on it."_ He revealed. " _At first I was against it, because figure skating was only something girls did, but I took to it and done well, learned quickly. I liked going fast, and found that it was…cool. But the following year my brother and I asked our father to get us hockey skates before we went up there again. We argued they were more, suited for boys than figure skates."_

" _And did he? Get you hockey skates?"_

" _He did."_ Rick smiled as he looked her way. _"What?"_ He asked at her adoring eyes.

" _You never cease to amaze me."_ She softly replied. _"Ice skating was something I never would've guessed about you."_

" _I'll admit, I'm not the type."_

" _And yet you are."_ She quietly stated, before initiating a loving kiss, then slowly pulled away as they glided in sync across the ice, and turned her eyes forward just in time to see a couple assisting their little girl who couldn't be any more than three years old onto the ice. The wound that still lingered in her heart, ached at her miscarriage from weeks before.

" _You okay?"_ Rick compassionately asked as he fought his own pain at the scene ahead.

" _Yeah."_ She quietly answered as she briefly turned her eyes to him. _"It's getting late."_ She then said. _"I'm starting to get a little hungry and we still have more shopping to do."_

" _Alright."_ He uttered, then slipped his arm around her back and pulled her to him, tenderly brushing his lips against her temple, comforting her, before leading them to the exit of the rink.

* * *

Seconds later they stepped off the ice. Both their thoughts still heavily on the pregnancy she'd lost, when their musings were unexpectedly disrupted.

" _Michonne!"_ She heard someone exclaimed and looked in the direction of the person calling her name to find that it was her friend Angela.

" _Hey!"_ Michonne asserted with surprise. _"What are you doing here?"_ She asked as she and her friend hugged. _"I thought you and Reggie were going out of town this weekend?"_ Her friend had explained that they'd decided to wait to go out of town for Christmas instead, since Reggie was having to work some that weekend. Michonne had then asked if Reggie was there, and learned that he was, but was off picking up their skates.

" _So, you must be Rick."_ Angela then stated, before Michonne could make the introduction, turning judging eyes to him.

" _Angela Sims, Rick Grimes."_ Michonne then jumped in, introducing her lover and friend.

" _Nice to meet you."_ Rick stated, but Angela failed to return his cordial greeting, only saying _"Hello"_ with a hint of scorn, causing an uncomfortable tension to permeate the mood, which Michonne attempted to diffuse by asking her friend how long she and Reggie had been there. The woman had answered that they'd just arrived and planned to skate before doing dinner and a movie.

" _What brings you two here?"_ Her friend asked, a tartness in her tone. _"Looking for gifts for your son?"_ She deduced again looking towards Rick.

" _Not just my son…"_

" _Hmprh. I'm sure."_ Angela retorted, interrupting his response.

" _Is there a problem?"_ Michonne staunchly questioned her friend whose attitude was starting to piss her off.

" _No problem."_ Angela stated, her voice calm and nonthreatening, just as Reggie walked up. He was happy to see Michonne and had greeted her with genuine friendlessness as he did Rick when they were introduced. He and Angela then excused themselves, with the latter promising Michonne that she'd call her later before she and Reggie walked off. Michonne had immediately turned to Rick and apologized for her friend's behavior, but Rick had brushed it off, knowing that the woman wasn't his biggest fan, considering what Michonne had told him she'd said about their relationship.

" _I'll get our shoes."_ Michonne said, now just ready to get out of there, then gave Rick a kiss before leaving him to retrieve their shoes from the locker they'd rented. He watched her walk away, towards the lockers then had a seat on one of the benches next to the rink and began unlacing his skates.

* * *

" _You know, just because you finally divorced your wife and got your shit together doesn't mean that we accept you."_ A voice said, drawing Rick's attention from his skates to the woman before him.

" _What?!"_ He retorted in shock.

" _Do you think what you have with Michonne is sustainable?"_ Angela asked. _"With you leaving your wife for her, and she leaving Mike for you?"_

" _That's not what happened."_ Rick strongly denied.

" _But it is."_ The woman challenged. _"You do know Michonne's first love is her career."_ She then said. _"She'll never give it up to play housewife and soccer mom."_

" _I'd never want her to."_

" _You say that now. But you're just a deputy in a small town. You don't know ambition. You don't know life outside of your white picket fence and chil…"_

" _You don't know shit about me."_ Rick interjected, angered by her insults.

" _I know enough."_ Angela stiffly countered. _"Michonne is not just my friend. She's like my family. She is my family, and I won't see her hurt."_

" _I would never hurt her."_ He fiercely contended.

" _Maybe not intentionally but you must know you're not right for her? That this will only end in disaster?"_

" _You ready babe?"_ Reggie came up stopping Rick's planned response.

" _I'm ready."_ Angela smiled at her guy and went straight into girlfriend mode, acting as if she'd not just had a tense conversation with Rick. _"You and Chonne have fun. Don't keep her out too late."_ She then said to Rick, but not before slipping him a look that was unseen by her man, telling him with her eyes that he needed to heed what she'd said just as she walked away with Reggie.

* * *

Not long after Angela and Reggie left, Michonne returned with their shoes. They'd turned in their ice skates and resumed shopping, going to Pandora, then briefly headed back to the condo to drop off their packages before they'd decided to walk to the Lenox, which was down the street, instead of trying to drive in gridlocked traffic that was attempting to make it down Peachtree to the Mall.

The walk there was quiet and tense. Michonne could sense that something was bothering Rick but decided not to approach it right away. He'd speak what was on his mind when he was ready. They'd shopped as planned, going to the Apple Store to price some iPods which was something Carl had asked for, but Rick had decided against purchasing due to the cost and the possibility that Lori might be purchasing it for him. From there they'd gone to GameStop and found the game they'd been looking for all day. By the time they left that store, they were famished and had gone to The Cheesecake Factory to satiate their hunger.

After waiting nearly an hour, they'd finally been seated, and unlike their date at Ray's In the City, Michonne had felt a little more comfortable sharing the same side of the booth with Rick. He'd commented that with time she wouldn't even think about it. It'd just be second nature, then kissed her with a slow, desperate passion, stirring a fire in her veins, yet concerning her with his melancholy caress. They'd been served quickly, and the mood had improved some. The kiss they'd shared and their close seating had helped as did the conversation which to start entailed simple topics. They'd conversed with ease about family and the upcoming holidays. Michonne had let Rick know that she planned to go to D.C. for Christmas, due to her entire family, including aunts and cousins she hadn't seen in years, planning to congregate at her parents, who were hosting Christmas that year.

Since Lori had Carl for Thanksgiving, Rick mentioned that he'd have him for Christmas. _"I think we'll spend Christmas Eve in Palmer then head down to my parents on Christmas Day."_ He said after taking a swig of his beer.

" _How long will you be down there?"_

" _I don't know. I'm thinking three, maybe four days."_

" _When are you due back at work?"_ She asked after taking a sip of her wine.

" _New Year's Eve."_ Rick replied, then devoured another fork full of his delicious cuisine.

" _That's too bad. I was going to ask you to be my date for Sasha and Bob's annual New Year's Eve party."_

" _I'd love to, but I can't."_ He sighed with regret. " _I'm working New Year's Eve and everyday after until the 5_ _th_ _."_

" _Well don't feel bad. I understand. Besides I'm back in the office on the 3_ _rd_ _. So, I won't get any extra time off either."_ She stated, which led to an uncomfortable discussion about her work and the offers she'd received over the past few weeks. For one, her current job had gotten word about the firm for which Mike worked being interested in her and had responded by offering her a bigger title with more money to remain with them. Then her former boss had engaged her about working for his current employer. Though they were an international firm based in New York, they had an office in Atlanta where she'd be based and would be responsible for overseeing various fashion campaigns. It was 60% travel, mostly to New York, with occasional visits to Paris. The pay and benefits were excellent and the company was growing exponentially. The third opportunity had come to her from a former colleague that knew she was looking to make a change and recommended her for a position – Art Director, at her company. The job wouldn't require any travel, except to the annual industry conference, and would only be working with internal clients. The pay was good as were the benefits, and it was also a growing firm that would be doing some acquisitions in the future which would provide some excellent opportunities to advance in the company.

Rick had asked her, if she had to choose, in that moment, which job she'd take, which would it be. She'd told him without a doubt it'd be the New York firm. She explained that the culture of the firm was one of the best in the industry and the position itself would provide some wonderful opportunities for innovation and professional growth. _"But you'd be traveling 60% of the time."_ Rick had pointed out. _"That's only a little more than what I'm doing now."_ She'd countered. Dinner had ended shortly after her response, with Rick asking for the check and them quietly leaving the restaurant to commence an awkward walk home. They'd spent the first few minutes of their stroll making observations about the traffic that remained quite heavy on Peachtree and admiring the holiday décor, when they'd soon fell into a quietness that was anything but settled.

" _Are you going to tell me what's going on? Or are we going to be like this for the rest of the night?"_ Michonne posed into the silence.

" _I've just been thinking."_ Rick hesitantly replied as he gently tightened his hold on her hand, his mind partly lost in his thought, not knowing how to voice what was troubling him.

" _About?"_

" _Us. Our future."_ He answered, several moments later.

" _Do you care to share?"_ Michonne softly asked. Rick briefly glanced her way and noted that her focus was still ahead, waiting for him to respond, which strangely encouraged him to continue.

" _When we were at the rink, and you went to get our shoes from the lockers, Angela came over to have a talk."_

" _What did she say?"_ Michonne queried, dread and anger quickly rising within her at the thought of what her friend might've said.

" _The same thing Mike did a few weeks ago."_ Rick quietly revealed, reminding her of what her ex had told him about her career aspirations. He and Michonne had talked about it at the time, and she'd assured him that Mike was wrong and he'd believed her, but now, he didn't know. _"She said, you don't want 'the white picket fence'. You don't even really want a family, that you thrive off the success of your career."_ He stated.

" _And why would what she said bother you?"_ Michonne asked, thinking that she and Rick had talked about this, and thus Angela's assertion shouldn't be haunting him this way.

" _She's the second person who…'knows' you to say this, to…warn me about the importance of your career."_

" _You already know how much I value my career. So why does what she said bother you?"_ Michonne asked again, stopping their trek to capture his eyes. _"Is the white picket fence and …children something you want, right now?"_

" _No. But it is something I'd like to have in the future."_ He replied. _"But based on what has been said, not just by Mike and Angela, but you, this…may not be something you want."_

" _I never said I didn't want those things."_ Michonne countered. _"In fact, I've said I do want those things."_

" _Do you? Really want them?"_ Rick seriously asked, his eyes reflecting a tinge of uncertainty, worrying Michonne. _"Or is it some distant something that you claim you want, but you're not really striving towards?"_

" _I've already answered that question."_ Michonne contented. _"But you still haven't answered mine. Why is this so important right now?"_ She asked, once more. Rick fleetingly abandoned her gaze, struggling with whether he should say what he didn't think she was ready to hear, when he eventually ignored his doubt and spoke what was on his mind and heart.

" _Because at dinner when I asked you, out of the jobs you'd been offered which one you'd take, you chose the one that would give you the least opportunity to…move towards the goal of building a home and family._ " He asserted, astonishing Michonne. _"I know it's crazy, too soon, too much, all of the above, but I can't help the way I feel...I want a life with you."_ He passionately confessed, thrilling and scaring her all at once. _"And the thought that you may not want the same thing, that you don't want a family…scares me."_

" _Rick…"_

" _I'm sorry."_ He sighed. _"This is probably too much after..."_

" _No. It's ok."_ Michonne quietly spoke, keeping the angst she felt out of her voice. _"I understand your concerns, but I have my concerns too."_ She revealed, astounding him. _"It's been nearly a month since you told Carl about our relationship, and he's showing no signs of accepting us. In fact, he's digging in, determined to make things difficult whenever he can."_ She said, thinking of all the boy had done over the past month and what he'd done that day, attempting to stop Rick from coming to see her. _"I get that it's only been a month, and that it will take time for him to accept this, but what if he doesn't?"_

" _Michonne…"_

" _No. Hear me out."_ She asserted, halting his response. _"Carl is not the child you pick up every other weekend. He is the child whom you have full custody. He is with you most of the time. There won't be a workaround with us only dealing with his hostility on the weekends or holidays. It would be all the time. So, if he doesn't accept me, acce_ _pt us, where does that leave this relationship?"_

" _Like you said, it's only been a month."_ Rick stated. _"It's going to take time but he'll come around. I know it."_

" _Yes. It will take time."_ She concurred, but not with his faith that Carl would come around. _"And just like it'll take time for Carl to...come around…"_ She stated what she didn't know she'd ever believe. _"It'll take time for me to be ready to…start planning for a family."_ She honestly declared. _"When I got pregnant, the last thing I wanted… was to be pregnant, and when I had the… miscarriage, I was just starting to accept the idea, to prepare myself for being a mother. But that was because I was forced to take that on."_ She said, emotion in her voice, prompting Rick to squeeze her hand which he held in his while slowly grasping her perspective. _"But now that it's…over, now that I've...lost the baby, I have no desire to go there again, at least not anytime soon."_ She said. _"I'm happy with where we are. I'm happy with you, and that's enough for me right now. Is it, enough for you?"_ She asked with caution and disquiet.

" _It is."_ Rick answered without hesitation, even as concern lingered within. Relief and joy ignited in her heart, driving her to take his mouth, to kiss him with impassion and love.

" _Let's get home."_ He then whispered, his lips inches from hers, wanting to taste her once more.

" _It is getting cold out here."_ Michonne lightly voiced.

" _I've got something for that."_ Rick huskily replied as he gently brushed his thumb across mouth, then sensually descended to her chin, making her shiver with yearning.

" _I'm sure you do."_ She uttered in a near gasp, wanting so much to indulge in that something, to give herself to him, but she just wasn't ready. _"But, I promised I'd help you wrap the gifts you bought for Carl."_ She said, successfully managing her wanting, yet confusing Rick, then quickly pecked his lips, before recommencing their walk towards home.


	29. Yuletide Glow

**Maybe I won't finish this in three chapters. Lol. If you can believe it, I planned more for this chapter, but it just got way too long, which is what happened with the last chapter. So now I've added another chapter to this story. SMH. Let's just say I'll be wrapping this up soon.**

 **Thanks everyone for the continued support! It's much appreciated.**

 **Neecee81 – Welcome to the story. I'm so glad you're enjoying it.**

 **courtgirl26 – Welcome!**

 **Chapter Twenty-nine**

For Rick gift wrapping had always been tedious, much like a chore, but somehow Michonne had made it engaging. He knew because her creative mind was in its element with colorful paper and bows and gifts that needed to be cloaked in surprise. She'd wrapped most of the gifts he'd purchased for Carl in a traditional manner, occasionally demanding his finger or two to assist her with taping the decorative paper down. However, she had ventured outside of the norm and wrapped a couple of his gifts in a way that was unique to Carl.

One gift was wrapped to look like a stick of peppermint candy, which was a favorite of Carl's, with red and white striped paper covered in clear soft plastic that was tied with red bows on each end. Another gift was wrapped in the traditional holiday paper with a red background. However, Michonne had added a strip of black paper with white dashes down the middle, made to look like a road, extended around the present, then mounted (8) Hot Wheels cars on top of the box as if each were being driven down the makeshift highway. While completing what Michonne always found was a fun task, she and Rick talked past Christmases again, revisiting a subject they'd touched on months ago. Rick had told her about his best Christmases, which all sounded like what Christmas should be – great food and desserts, nice gifts and most importantly a joyful time with family.

Michonne had listened in awe and a hint of sadness at what she'd never had, due the holidays with her family that consisted of various outrageous incidents from accusations of infidelity to vexation over a "cheap" gift received. She did mention how she was excited about seeing the family members she hadn't seen in a while. However, she wasn't looking forward to the inevitable drama that would ensue. Rick had been encouraging, saying that maybe things would be different, better this year than in years past. _"I hope so."_ Michonne had genuinely replied. After she finished wrapping Carl's gifts, she'd neatly gathered up all the things she'd used and began putting it away in the hall closet when she felt strong arms around her, pulling her against him, before he then hotly kissed her neck.

" _Thank you."_ Rick sexily asserted.

" _I don't mind."_ She uneasily stated, her body fighting with her mind, the former heated by his closeness, but her mind unable to fully engage giving herself to him again. _"I enjoy wrapping gifts. Speaking of, I think I'm ready for that cheesecake we brought home. How about you?"_ She said as she gently extracted herself from his embrace and turned to face him.

" _I can wait."_ He whispered, his eyes smoldering with fervor, bound to her gaze, before he moved to caress her lips with his.

" _Rick."_ She sighed, dropping her eyes and head, blocking his kiss.

" _What's wrong?"_ He gently asked, then waited patiently for her to respond.

" _I'm not ready."_ She softly replied, her eyes still down.

" _It's too soon, after?"_ He realized, kicking himself within for not putting it together sooner.

" _Yeah."_ She quietly confirmed. _"I'm sorry…"_ She tried to apologize.

" _Don't."_ Rick interjected in the same quiet tone as he lifted her chin, drawing her somber gaze back to his _. "It's okay."_ He assured, then pulled her to him, and kissed her forehead, easing the tension she felt, filling her with calm.

" _I still want you."_ Michonne voiced with impassion, after she reluctantly pulled away to recapture his stare. _"More than you know, but…I need time."_

" _I know."_ He softly uttered as he gently stroked her cheek. _"And I'm here. As long as it takes."_ He vowed, then chastely brushed her mouth with his, then took her in his arms again.

* * *

Rick lay in bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above, holding Michonne close, as his mind replayed the events of the night before. After their talk about her reluctance to make love, he'd mentioned that it was getting late and suggested he leave to try and find a hotel. He'd let her know that he was more than capable of keeping himself under control. Nonetheless, he didn't want him staying the night to make her uncomfortable. However, she'd rejected this, telling him that despite her hang up, she wanted him to stay, and not in the guest room, but in her room, in her bed, if he felt comfortable doing so. He'd been relieved at her insistence and was pleased that she'd asked him to stay. So he had.

They'd retrieved the cheesecake from the fridge, then ventured to the living room, where they'd snuggled on the couch while watching Sharnado: The 4th Awakens, getting a good laugh at the ridiculous storyline, the bad dialogue, and horrendous CGI, before each, tired from the long day, showered and then gone to bed. Deciding to call it a night could've been extremely awkward, but somehow they'd known how to handle it. He'd finished his shower after her and when he climbed into bed and moved close to her, gently nestling her in his arms. He'd quietly asked. _"Is this too much?"_ _"No"_ She'd whispered into the darkness. Not long after, the weight of sleep was pushing at the fringes of his mind, wanting to take hold and before he'd realized he'd fallen into a peaceful slumber.

Even though things had not gone as expected – his encounter with Angela, their discussion about the future, and Michonne not being ready to make love, it had been a good first date, after the time they'd been apart, but he wanted today to be better…

" _Any thoughts on what we can do today?"_ He whispered into the quiet. He had his ideas, but he first wanted to see where her head was.

" _Maybe sleep in?"_ She quietly suggested, then snuggled closer to him.

" _How about we make this a Christmas to remember?"_ He posed.

" _Thanks, but I think I've had enough of those, and I'm sure I'm going to have one more in a couple weeks when I go to D.C."_ She responded in a light tone. " _Besides it's not even Christmas ye…wait, what do you have in mind?"_ She asked, sitting up to look him in the eyes.

" _A Christmas tree, some lights, maybe a stocking or two by the fireplace."_

" _A Christmas tree?"_ Michonne smiled in spite of herself. _"You know I don't do Christmas. And even if I did, I would not want one of those plastic atrocities in my house."_

" _I'm not suggesting a fake tree for a Christmas virgin like you..."_

" _What?! A Christmas virgin."_ She laughed _. "What does that mean?"_

" _That you've never experienced the true beauty of the Christmas holiday."_ He explained with a smile as he caressed a lock of her hair.

" _I've experienced the beauty of Christmas."_ She lightly countered _. "When we were shopping yesterday, I…saw the Christmas spirit. I felt it, and it was… beautiful."_ She claimed, causing Rick to laugh.

" _That was only the tip of the iceberg."_ He huskily whispered, then kissed her lips. _"You haven't felt nothing yet."_ He said, the implication in his tone, stirring an intense warmth within her. _"To start, I'm thinking we go out this morning to a Christmas tree farm, there's got to be a few locally."_ He thought aloud. _"And find you a real tree."_

" _I haven't agreed to a tree."_ Michonne quipped. _"And even if I did, it's 8 in the morning and cold outside…."_

Rick briefly moved away, retrieving his phone from the dresser on his side of the bed, then turned back to her and replied. _"It's 35 degrees outside."_

" _Um, that's cold. I want to stay in bed, under the covers, at least for a little while."_ She groaned as she cuddled up to him again.

" _Ok."_ He conceded with a sigh, for the first time since Michonne had told him she wasn't ready to make love, struggling with her closeness, to keep his extremities cool. _"But only because snuggling with you is more intriguing than looking for a Christmas tree."_ He added, making her laugh, which inspired him to tentatively take her mouth, slowly lovingly, planning only to just get a taste, when the kiss quickly turned passionate, driving Michonne to suddenly pull away, shyly casting her eyes down. _"I'm sorry."_ He unevenly voiced as his body trembled with fire when her phone dinged with a text, making for a welcomed distraction from the awkward moment. Michonne grabbed her phone from where it lay on the nightstand and read the message.

" _It's Sasha. She and Bob are inviting us to brunch."_ She revealed. _"What do you think? You want to go?"_ She said, shifting her attention back to him.

" _I don't know if I'm ready to meet more of your friends after my…encounter with Angela last night."_

" _Angela is not representative of all my friends. I assure you, Sasha and Bob are nothing like her."_

" _So brunch with them should be a cakewalk."_ Rick jokingly declared.

" _I didn't say that."_

" _So I WILL be on the hot seat?"_ He sighed, feigning exasperation.

" _No. But if things do get out of hand I'll step in."_

" _Alright."_ Rick agreed. " _But if things do go bad, you'll have to return the favor."_

" _Meaning?"_

" _I'll tell you when the time comes."_

* * *

Hours later…

There would be no favor to return, because brunch had gone well, better than Rick could've ever imagined. They met Sasha and Bob at the One Eared Stag in the Old Fourth Ward of downtown and had a lively discussion while devouring a generous serving of Shrimp and Grits. Upon first meeting the couple, Rick was more nervous than he'd realized, but the initial introductions had gone well, with Sasha and Bob requesting details about where he was from and how he got into law enforcement, with them sharing the same details about themselves, before they naturally eased into talking various topics of common interest. They, Rick and Bob, because Michonne and Sasha could care less, debated whether the Falcons had the momentum to make it to the Super Bowl and win. Rick thought they could go all the way and win it all and so did Bob, to a point. He thought they could make it to the Super Bowl but he didn't think they had enough to win it all. Football had morphed into a discussion about the sports they'd played as teens, which had brought Sasha and Michonne back into the conversation.

Michonne had mentioned what they all knew, how she was forced into Tennis and horseback riding, the former she hated, the latter she loved. _"I always wanted to do track and basketball, but my parents wouldn't have it."_ She'd said. Sasha had disclosed what only Rick didn't know, which was that she'd done cheerleading and track. Rick had talked of his "successful" high school football career and spending most games on the bench when he was on the basketball team, while Bob had only run track saying he just wasn't mentally build for football even though he loved the game. The conversation had then moved to their kids and the activities in which they were involved which somehow landed on their holiday shopping for them. Sasha and Bob talked about scaling back on their purchases for their two little ones, who were four and six, this year. _"We bought entirely too much last year."_ Bob had said, with Rick stating that he'd done the same when Carl was younger. However, he was now less eager to go overboard, considering his son oftentimes didn't need so many toys and hardly played with them all, which Sasha and Bob concurred, saying that was the situation with their kids now. _"We never planned it that way. We always planned to be more conservative when buying toys for the kids, but it just didn't work out like that."_ Sasha had voiced. _"There's a lot of things about us that didn't go as intended."_ Bob said.

" _You're telling me."_ Michonne lightly scoffed.

" _Argh here she goes."_ Sasha rolled her eyes, making Rick curious and Michonne and Bob laugh.

" _Why? What happened?"_ Rick asked.

" _Sasha here, wouldn't have given Bob the time of day if it weren't for me."_ Michonne revealed in a near boast.

" _He just didn't seem like my type."_ Sasha defended with no qualms.

" _I had to convince her to go out with him, now here they are."_ Michonne added with admiration.

" _You played matchmaker?"_ Rick asked with surprise, looking her way.

" _It wasn't matchmaker."_ Michonne played it down as her hand faintly moved over his thigh, warming him. _"I saw two people that were right for each other and nudged them in the right direction."_

" _I can't see it."_

" _Can't see what?"_ Michonne faked a retort.

" _You being this hopeless romantic, "nudging" people together."_

" _What? I'm a romantic."_ Michonne declared, feigning being offended. _"Sometimes."_ She then tacked on.

" _Um hm, that's what I thought."_ Rick deduced with a smile, gazing at her with love, wanting to kiss her so much, but knowing it would make her terribly uncomfortable with her friends sitting across the table; thus, he refrained.

" _Well that "sometimes" got me to give Bob a chance."_ Sasha said, rejoining the conversation.

" _How long have you been together?"_ Rick inquired.

" _Ten years."_ Sasha answered. _"We dated for two and been married for eight. We've been together almost as long as I've known Michonne."_

" _Now how did you two meet?"_ Rick had then asked, referring to her and Michonne.

" _By chance."_ Sasha replied.

" _I'd just moved here and a "friend" invited me to a party that ended up being a complete bust. I was leaving when I ran into Sasha and Maggie who were planning to walk from Boulevard and Woodward to the King Memorial MARTA station at 1 in the morning."_

" _It was stupid."_ Sasha chimed. _"At the time that wasn't the best neighborhood. Even now it still has its issues, but we were determined to go. The MARTA buses had stopped running, and Maggie was devastated cause her Glenn had broken up for the um teenth time and Rob was being an ass, my guy at the time. So, we thought we'd be defiant and walk to the station."_ Sasha said to a completely enthralled Rick who loved learning more about Michonne's past. _"Mind you that's at least a twenty-minute walk and we wouldn't have made it to the station before the trains stopped running anyway."_

" _So what happened? You saw them and picked them up?"_ He asked, turning his attention to Michonne.

" _Michonne to the rescue."_ Sasha exclaimed.

" _Stop."_ Michonne gave her friend a modest scold and smile. _"Yeah."_ She continued. _"I was headed home cause Jeff and I had a big fight. My guy at the time. He wanted to stay at the party and I didn't. We were all having guy trouble that night."_ She shook her head at the memory and Sasha agreed with a nod. _"I recognized them from the party, walking in the dark and asked if they wanted a ride."_

" _We jumped at the chance."_ Sasha stated. _"Started talking on the ride to the train station and realized we didn't live that far from each other, had a lot in common, the most being at the time, our men acting like asses. So, we decided we weren't ready to go home and hung out instead."_

" _We ended up going clubbing and closed the night at IHOP on Ponce. We've been friends ever since."_

" _Those were fun times."_ Sasha sighed with nostalgia.

" _They were."_ Michonne agreed.

" _Don't tell me you miss it?"_ Bob commented.

" _A little."_ Sasha answered. _"There was a freedom to that life, being young untouched by the world, and free of responsibility."_

" _Ok."_ Michonne concurred as Rick aimlessly, affectionately caressed her back.

" _So you would go back to being 21-22 if you could?"_ Bob asked.

" _No, but surely you can relate to the freedom of being 21?"_ Sasha asked.

" _Maybe too much freedom."_ Rick piped in.

" _Oh really."_ Michonne looked his way with a surprising smile. _"What mischief were you up to at that age?"_

" _You don't want to know."_ He smirked.

" _Oh no, you're not getting off that easy."_ Sasha jumped in. _"You've got to share at least a little bit of dirt."_

" _Man I should've warned you, my wife is like the Dirt Devil Dash, if there is dirt, she will seek it out and expose it."_ Bob said.

" _If she's a Dirt Devil Dash shouldn't she be cleaning it up, not exposing it?"_ Michonne teased her friend and from there they'd got into a long discussion about their twenties, what they would keep as is and what they would change knowing what they know now, with Rick mentioning he had a few drunken weekends of his own at that age that didn't go over that well with him being new to the force and married, but he matured past that phase quickly with the responsibilities he had at the time. They'd continued to reminisce about when they were very young and deciding on life, careers, loves, when the conversation eventually drifted to the music and movies of the 1990s before they'd eventually wrapped up breakfast, with Sasha and Bob telling them they promised Tyrese and Sheila they'd pick up the kids by 1:30pm.

" _And we still have to pick up a tree."_ Rick voiced as they all prepared to leave.

" _A tree?"_ Sasha questioned with confusion. _"Oh, a tree."_ She exclaimed with realization.

" _Rick, you're kidding."_ Michonne sighed in exasperation, even though she knew he'd have no problem convincing her.

" _Not kidding."_ He differed.

" _You're getting her to do Christmas."_ Bob smiled.

" _I'm trying."_ Rick stated, with a laugh.

" _Well good luck."_ Bob said. _"Sasha and I have been trying to get her to at least do a tree for years, with no luck."_

" _Maybe this year that'll change."_ Rick said, as he gave Michonne tender eyes and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it lovingly.

* * *

Thirty minutes later…

Rick had finished a difficult call with Carl, who was still making it very clear that he wasn't happy with him being in Atlanta with Michonne, before they were driving to some Christmas Tree Farm, south of the city, which Rick had found when he'd googled it on his phone. The drive was traffic free, quiet and companionable, allowing them both to get lost in their thoughts. Michonne didn't want a tree. She mused as unreasonable anxiety made her nervous at the idea. It would require work and watering, something she didn't have the time to do. Plus, she wasn't into Christmas like that. She never was. So why are you doing this. She asked herself the pointless question, that wasn't the dilemma her nerves were attempting to make it. She was doing it for Rick. He wanted to do this for her, to show her how great Christmas could be, drama free and joyful, and she was more than willing to allow him to try. She thought as she gazed his way, the love elevating in her heart at his attentiveness to her in every way.

" _So lunch was nice."_ Rick said, glancing her way with a smile _. "I'm glad we went. I like Sasha and Bob."_

" _Yeah, they're good people, great friends, and they like you too."_ She replied, still smiling his way.

" _You think so?"_ He seriously asked, briefly catching her eyes in surprise.

" _Pretty sure of it."_ She declared, amused at the smile that broadened on his face, as she recalled the text she'd received from Sasha before they were good and settled in the cars and headed their separate ways. 'He's a keeper. Better keep him. We'll talk later ' The message had said. _"Sasha thinks you're a keeper."_ She confessed.

" _Really?"_ Rick grinned, turning his eyes to her once more. _"What do you think?"_

" _I'm still deciding."_ She uttered in jest, then slipped her hand over his knee and gentle squeezed it, heating him and heightening his bliss.

They arrived at the Christmas Tree farm 10 minutes later. It was a place that was 30 miles outside of Atlanta in Hampton, Georgia. It was quaint little town with endless subdivisions of beautiful homes, but not much else. It was a nice area, but a little too country for her taste. However, Rick kind of liked it, the country feel of it all, the beautiful homes, but he did have to admit that not having the convenience of restaurants and shopping was particularly unappealing, especially when compared to the accessibility Atlanta provided to such things.

" _A real tree."_ Michonne stated aloud after Rick helped her from the car. _"I don't know about this."_ She let her nerves speak again _. "Aren't real trees a lot of maintenance?"_

" _Everything you need to know, I'll show you."_ Rick quietly vowed as held her eyes, his gaze rousing tenderness within her, while he slipped his hand in hers, then kissed her lips, further easing her frivolous concern.

" _So how does this work? We pick out a tree and they cut it for us?"_ She then asked as they begin walking towards the main lot.

" _No. We pick out a tree, and I'll cut it down."_

"What? No." Michonne rejected and instantly stopped their trek.

" _Michonne…"_

" _Your hand may be better, but it's not fully healed and you have to drive back to Palmer tonight."_ She voiced with concern. _"You can't be chopping down trees like some kind of lumberjack. You'll be too exhausted to drive back home."_ She seriously stated, inciting Rick to die of laughter at her lumberjack comment, which in turn inspired mirth within her. _"This isn't funny."_ She then added as she struggled to keep a straight face.

" _I know. And you may have a point."_ Rick admitted, after he got his amusement under control.

" _I_ _ **do**_ _have a point."_ She contended, again serious. _"You need to be fully alert driving home tonight. I don't want you falling asleep on the road."_

Just so happens her fear of Rick turning into a lumberjack wasn't an issue at all, for the Christmas tree farm didn't allow patrons to cut their own trees due to the risk of liability. Plus, for all his bravado about chopping down the tree Rick had not brought one tool to assist him with that task. The experience had been fun. They'd walked the lot hand in hand, battling the strong chill that had not left the air with the lateness of the day and assessed the inventory of trees. They were all beautiful trees and thus, they at one point had difficulty narrowing the selection down to what they wanted. What, "they" wanted, Michonne had realized halfway through the process, that Rick had somehow managed to get her engaged in this. She was beginning to get excited at the prospect of a tree in her home, which made her feel, contented, happy. They'd run into other couples who were having the same dilemma and briefly conversed with them about the beauty of the trees and the difficulty in choosing from such a great selection. Nonetheless they'd eventually narrowed their search to the Cedar and a Fraser Fir. They'd ultimately gone with the 6' foot Cedar. Both didn't know why, except that they just liked it a little more than the Fir. In no time, the workers at the farm had the tree, chopped, shaken, tapered, tied atop the car and was sending them on their way.

* * *

With their next stop being decorations for the tree. They'd spotted a great shopping area in McDonough, a town north of Hampton, with several stores and restaurants on their way back to Interstate 75 and had stopped in at a Hobby Lobby that was amongst the choices. Neither had ever been to the store, but Michonne figured it would be similar to a Michaels or Home Goods, which wasn't too far off. They had lots of craft items and general knickknacks for the house, but a wonderful Christmas section with tons of décor. They had a nice variety of the standard glass and cloth balls often seen on Christmas trees, but also some themed ornaments for those who desired something slightly different from the norm.

" _I don't even know where to start."_ Michonne said, looking at the vast selection of ornaments and various types of décor, thinking she should be right in her element due to her love of anything decorative and artsy, but right then was feeling a bit overwhelmed by how much there was to see. Rick had then made things simple by suggesting they start with picking lights for the tree. So, that's where they'd gone to the light section, easily making a choice to go with the color mini lights, which had at first surprised Rick. For most people seemed to select the clear or white lights, maybe because of the sleekness and sophistication of the look, but Michonne had gone with color, which he quickly came to realize was due to her artist mind, that was drawn to color.

" _What about the red and gold balls?"_ Rick suggested, when they moved on to find a few ornaments for the tree.

" _I don't want any plastic balls."_ Michonne nixed, her eyes catching what looked like a glass blown ornament which had been decorated with a beautifully hand painted scene. Rick had then moved to place an ornament that had caught his eye, a white ball with a hand painted picture of a football player catching a ball and surrounded with green leaves and holly, into their shopping cart. However, Michonne stopped him asking what it was. She'd immediately rejected the décor citing it was about football and it was a plastic ball which was not something she wanted on the tree, but he'd managed to argue his fondness for the ornament and its uniqueness which should meet her criteria of an "artistic" ornament. Michonne had grudgingly relented before returning her attention to the glass blown adornments which she was still debating whether to purchase.

" _For you not to be into Christmas, you sure do have a strong opinion about what type of ornaments you want on the tree."_ Rick noted with smile, drawing her eyes back to him.

" _Just because I'm not into Christmas, doesn't mean I don't have an opinion about its décor."_ She lightly countered. _"Besides this is going to be a tree that's in my house. At the very least it needs to be appealing to me."_ She said, which made Rick laugh. _"You're enjoying this, aren't you? Turning me on to the... 'Christmas spirit."_

" _I can't say I'm displeased."_ Rick admitted without hesitance, then kissed her lips, making her smile more. _"So you don't like any of these ornaments for the tree."_ He said pointing out the variety of balls around them that came in different, colors shapes and sizes.

" _They're all beautiful, but if we do a tree next year I want it to be decorated with ornaments that are unique, original."_ She stated without thought as she finally decided on the glass blown ornaments putting four in their cart _. "I don't want it to look like every other tree out there."_

" _You just said we."_ He softly uttered as watching her with love as some other decorative item caught her eye.

" _Huh?"_ She distracted stated and looked his way again.

" _You said if we do a tree next year."_ He repeated, his heart full at what he knew but she hadn't voiced before that she wanted a future with him.

" _This is happening now, but I'm still not completely sold on this."_ She said, completely missing what he was saying, not realizing the inference in what she'd said moments before. _"Next ye …" Before_ she could finish her thought, Rick surprised her by pressing his lips to hers, first tentatively, tenderly, the gradually going deeper, taking her mouth with passion and love, wanting in that moment for her to know how much he loved her.

" _What was that for?"_ She shyly breathed when he pulled away, his mouth just inches from hers, his hand caressing her cheek, making her feverish, the yearning it stirred within, scaring her.

" _Nothing."_ He uttered, then reassured her with a kiss, gently brushing his lips against her forehead, letting her know that he still expected nothing from her, he just loved her so much. Michonne pulled back to look in him the eyes, to wordlessly convey that he didn't scare her, but the act of making love to him again did.

" _Let's finish this and get out of here."_ She stated, then chastely pecked his lips before they found a simple, but beautiful tree skirt and headed for the register.

* * *

Two hours later, they were home having eaten dinner – baked salmon and salad, which she'd prepared, erected the tree and decorated it. It was strange seeing a Christmas tree, adorned with the few ornaments they'd bought and shining beautifully with colorful lights, in the middle of her living room with a blaze burning in the fire place nearby. The only time she'd ever seen a tree in her home was back in D.C. when she was a child. After the fiasco of so many Christmases there, she'd vowed to never "celebrate" Christmas again. However, this experience felt surreal, and strangely exhilarating, while yet stirring some not so pleasant memories. This was good though. She decided, now thinking how she and Rick spent the hour decorating the tree watching Christmas movies that were airing on network TV, none of which she'd ever scene – _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_ and a _Charlie Brown Christmas._ She'd cherished the experience and found both movies wonderful. This was already turning into a great Christmas. She could not deny.

"What do you think?" Rick asserted as he returned to the room, coming to stand at her side, slipping his arm around her then kissing her temple.

" _It's nice."_ She sighed, at the feel of his loving caress.

" _Just nice?"_ He questioned, capturing her eyes.

" _No. It's beautiful."_ She acknowledged, no longer able to keep the joy off her face, expressing how much she loved it.

" _Happy I convinced you?"_ He beamed.

" _I'm happy."_

" _That's all I wanted."_ He whispered, then gently took her lips.


	30. The Risk

**Thanks everyone for continuing to read and respond. As always the support is much appreciated.**

 **Chapter Thirty**

Christmas had been wonderful, not just with her family but Rick too. Her family had surprisingly been toned down, not as many fights and accusations as in past years. She did, however, have to deal with her mother's incessant prying about what happened with her and Mike. Michonne had not told her any details about the truth of what happened, only that she'd realized they weren't right for each other. Her mother had guessed as she had before that there had to be a third party involved, either another man, woman or both. However, Michonne had refused to confirm and eventually shut her mother down, by telling her she would leave – fly back to Atlanta that night, if the meddling didn't stop. Her mom had complied, letting the topic drop, though still making snide comments here and there, and giving her suspicious eyes throughout the remainder of the holiday.

She and Rick had not spent neither Christmas nor New Year's together, but they'd Facetimed numerous times during the holiday. They'd had a video chat on Christmas Eve, having one of their talks about religion and paganism, how Christmas was partly both. It was an interesting discussion that led them to having a friendly debate about the melting pot that had, to a point, become religion, and how with time a religion's true origin is lost due to the work of those who are in power bending the beliefs to their will in order to maintain control over the people. They'd spent the entire night Skyping, until they had no choice but to hang up and get some sleep so they'd be ready for their holiday activities with their families.

* * *

New Year's hadn't been ideal, but it was memorable, for it to be their first. She'd spent the Eve at Sasha and Bob's New Year's Eve party. She'd missed Rick, but had still managed to have a lot of fun, and just before midnight, he'd surprised her by calling her on Skye, which had allowed them to bring in the New Year together. She was dressed to the nines and looking beautiful in her glitter dress and dazzling makeup and he was simply Rick Grimes, dressed in his Sheriff's Deputy Uniform. He'd stopped on the side of the road, taking a quick break from his shift to wish her a Happy New Year. She'd answered the Skype call and heart soared to see his tender blue eyes and loving smile.

" _Hey Baby. How's the party?"_ He'd softly asked.

" _Good, but it'd be better if you were here."_ She'd quietly replied after stepping out onto the deserted balcony so that she could have privacy to talk.

" _Next year. I promise I won't miss it for the world."_ He vowed.

" _I'm holding you to that."_ She softly smiled. When she, and he, though over the phone, heard the countdown from inside. They instantly became quiet, listening to the numbers draw down, their eyes bound, silently expressing so much until the countdown finally reached zero, and the cheers erupted inside while the fireworks peppered the night sky from far away, prompting Rick to huskily utter…

" _Happy New Year."_ His eyes smoldering with love, filling her with happiness, igniting a passionate yearning within her.

" _Happy New Year."_ She whispered, her gaze mesmerized by his.

Though she'd been 300 miles away from the man she loved, it had been one of the most romantic New Year's she'd ever had.

* * *

The following Friday, Michonne was back in Rick's neck of the woods. They planned to spend the weekend in Palmer, but had decided to start their outing in Macon. For Rick, had been unexpectedly called to do a field training exercise in Hawkinsville and she would be driving down from work that afternoon. They figured it wouldn't make sense for her to drive past Hawkinsville to meet him in Palmer, when they could just meet in Macon, where there was more to do. They could have their Friday night activity there, then do Saturday and Sunday morning in Palmer. Therefore, they'd made plans to meet at the local movie theater in Macon. Rick had been waiting for about 15 minutes when Michonne had finally arrived. The minute he spotted her car, his heart ignited with anticipation and joy. Though it had only been a couple of weeks since they'd been in the same town, it felt as if it had been too long…

" _Hey!"_ Rick exclaimed with a smile as he walked up just as Michonne exited her car.

" _Hey!"_ She replied, then gave him a sweet kiss, which he instantly deepened, infusing it with passion.

" _Happy New Year."_ He breathed against her mouth, really wanting to just take her home instead of do a movie.

" _Happy New Year."_ Michonne breathlessly uttered, then took him in her arms and nearly melted at the feel of him around her _. "What time does the movie start?"_ She then asked as they pulled away.

" _30 minutes."_

Moments later they'd made it inside, and barely had enough time to get their tickets, buy some popcorn and sodas and find a seat just before the lights went down. The theater was busy, being as it was Friday night and as a result, they'd not got the best seats. They were almost too close to the screen. They both thought the movie, _Passengers_ , had been horrible. Rick had ended up snoozing during most of it due to boredom and Michonne had watched the whole thing, with her side eye firmly in place and was thrilled when it was finally over. Afterwards, they'd headed to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner, ordering a huge plate of chicken nachos and a couple of Margaritas.

" _So how was your day?"_ Rick quietly asked, after returning from the restroom, then having a seat in the booth, slipping his hand over thigh, heating her, then kissing her lips.

" _Good"_ She sighed. _"How about yours? How was the class?"_

" _Good."_ Rick took a sip of his water and returned his attention to Michonne, to find her in a ruminative state, which prompted him to ask her what was wrong.

" _I made a decision."_ She answered.

" _About?"_

" _The position I'm going to take."_ She said and gave him her eyes.

" _I thought you didn't have to decide until the end of the month?"_ He replied, briefly looking away, recalling how she'd turned down the promotion at her current firm and had in fact resigned. Her last day in that role being at the start of February. With the decision made about her current firm, she still had to make a choice between the other offers she'd received, one from a local firm and the other from a company in New York, both of whom had given her until the end of the month to decide.

" _I don't."_ Michonne confirmed. _"But I wanted to talk to you about my decision, before calling the firm and accepting."_

" _So which is it? The firm based in Atlanta or New York?"_ Rick asked, what he was certain he already knew.

" _New York."_ She revealed and watched as he again looked down his disappointment apparent. _"But I won't take it unless we can make it work with our relationship."_ She added, drawing his gaze back to her.

" _Ok."_ He uttered with near relief. _"Let's talk."_

" _Pros and Cons."_

" _Pros – The pay, benefits are outstanding. The opportunity to work on some of the largest accounts you've ever worked on. The professional growth. It'll provide the experience you need to advance to a leadership role in the industry."_ Rick stated, citing everything she'd told him about the position.

" _Cons – I'll be traveling at most 60% of the time, which I'm almost doing now."_ Michonne seriously voiced. " _Which means less time to see you. I'll be traveling at least 2-3 days out the week, every other week, but no travel on weekends. So we could still do what we're doing now, where we switch off doing dates in Atlanta and Palmer."_

" _Do you really think you'll be up for that?"_ Rick skeptically questioned. _"You'll have been traveling for three days, then you're gone go home to Atlanta then drive three hours to Palmer?"_

" _Not every week."_ She countered. _"Some weekends you'll be coming to Atlanta, if you're off."_ She said. " _My schedule won't always consist of me being out of town three days out of the week I travel, but there will be times when I'm out of town a full week at a time."_

" _Do you have any idea what that'll look like?"_ Rick asked, but before she could answer the waiter arrived with their nachos and drinks.

" _I'll have to be in New York every other week for at least three days and there's something else…"_ She began, hesitant to reveal the next part which he didn't know. _"… during Fashion week I'll be traveling for a month, first in New York then Europe for the month of September."_ She responded after the waiter walked away.

" _What?!"_ He exclaimed at hearing about the requirement from the New York firm. " _So that means you'll be away from home the entire month of September?"_

" _Yes."_ She cautiously admitted.

" _I don't like it."_ Rick honestly declared sitting back in the booth.

" _I know, but Rick it's only one month out of the year."_ Michonne maintained. _"And after that month in Europe, I'll receive two weeks of paid comp time that is separate from the four weeks vacation I'd get. I'd take the time in October. We could use it to make up for the time lost in September."_

" _But you'll be away 60% of the time, plus a full month in September."_ Rick shook his head, still not liking what he was hearing.

" _How is that much different from what's happening now?"_ Michonne asked. _"When I have to go to Seattle or Texas at the drop of the hat. And you're teaching your classes or having to working a non-traditional schedule that doesn't always leave you available at night or on the weekends?"_

" _It isn't."_ He conceded after some thought, recalling how in the months since they'd been together, they'd not always been able to visit each other. They'd had to resort to many of Skype dates, due to their work schedules not always permitting a drive to Palmer or Atlanta _. "But if both of us have crazy schedules...I don't know, that 60% travel concerns me."_

" _I know. But it'll be alright. We'll make it work."_ She assured, holding his eyes as she gently squeezed his knee, warming every part of him with that simple gesture.

" _And if it doesn't… work?"_

" _I'll give it up."_

" _What?!"_ Rick nearly gasped, looking her way in shock.

" _I want my career, but I want you to."_ She softly stated.

" _You'd give it all up for me?"_ He questioned in love and disbelief.

" _If this job hinders our relationship, I'd resign and find something else."_ She honestly vowed. _"I want to give us a chance."_ She said, which prompted Rick to take her lips in quiet relief.

" _What does that mean?"_ She sighed, smiling at the joy and ardor his caress stirred.

" _That I love you."_ He huskily answered, heightening her mirth and the hotness she felt. _"And that… I want you take the job."_ He said, surprising her. _"We give it a chance and if it doesn't work, we'll make the necessary adjustments."_

" _Agreed."_ Michonne nodded, beyond pleased with his support.

" _But, there is a catch."_ He freely added, causing Michonne to lightly scoff and falsely roll her eyes. _"I should've known I'd have to give you something more in return."_ She feigned a complaint then took a sample of the nachos which they'd been ignoring.

" _You're already giving me everything I need."_ He seriously stated, which drew her eyes back to him.

" _Then enlighten me."_ She inaudibly voiced, now intrigued by his assertion.

" _When you come to Palmer for your next visit, I want us to spend time with Carl."_ Michonne turned her eyes away, then took a sip of her margarita before taking another sampling of the delicious nachos.

" _I don't think he's ready."_ She stated, thinking about the stunts the young boy had previously pulled to keep Rick from spending any time with her. _"I'm not ready."_ She admitted.

" _He's never gone be ready and neither are you."_ Rick countered. _"So that's why we should just do this. Just pull the band aid off and deal with the result."_

" _But if we do that, things could go very badly."_

" _It could. Or it could go better than we both expect."_

" _You know that's not going to happen."_ Michonne doubted, again giving him her eyes.

" _I suspect what's going to happen, but I don't know what's going to happen."_ He rebutted, with a valid point _. "It's been nearly two months since I told Carl about us and longer than that, since we've been together. It's time he know, see that we're not going anywhere and that he needs to accept this."_

" _But what if he doesn't accept this? What if it doesn't go well?"_ Michonne posed, expressing her lingering fear. _"We won't ever get that moment back. We won't ever be able to give this more time."_ She said. _"Is that a risk you're really willing to take?"_

" _It is."_

* * *

Michonne had conceded, and thus they were taking that risk. She was nervous, more nervous than she'd been in ages. Though she and Rick had yet to make love, they'd come close a couple of times but she'd stopped herself. She didn't know why. She felt like she was 16 again and fearing having sex for the first time with her boyfriend. She'd talked to Sasha about it and even her doctor, both of whom informed her that it was perfectly normal for her to be reluctant be intimate after miscarrying, but it would just take time, to not put pressure on herself that she would get through it on her own timeline.

Though they weren't making love, things were going wonderfully for her and Rick. His divorce was finalized by the courts a couple weeks before, and they'd been enjoying their relationship without the black cloud that had been his pending divorce hanging over them. Still there was a chance that things could be turned on its head, go south, very quickly if their outing with Carl turned out to be a disaster. It had been two weeks since Rick had insisted on the action, that she'd meet Carl and now that the time was here, she felt more uncertain than the night the decision had been made to do this. Rick had let Carl know that this would be the day, the weekend in which he'd be spending time with her, only hours before her arrival. Purposely informing his son at the last possible minute in an effort to thwart any "illness" or 'injury" that would delay the meeting. Nevertheless, the plan wasn't for it to go this way, for them to meet today. However, at the last minute, Lori claimed she needed to go out of town, which unexpectedly left Carl with Rick that day - Saturday and moved their meeting up a day.

Michonne arrived at the community center in Palmer for the activity she'd suggested to Rick weeks ago. A class, which she'd teach, for a group of adolescents in local under privileged communities. It would be a fun activity that would expose the kids to more positive outlets for their energy and would make for a great addition to the other things the police were doing to engage the community. The Foundation who the Sheriff's departments was partnering with in Savannah were providing all the materials for the class – the canvases and paint, while King County Sheriff's Department would be hosting lunch, having pizza and cake with all the kids that participated. Michonne sat a moment in the parking space, not getting out the car, taking deep breathes as she stared ahead, attempting to calm herself, to not succumb to her desire to run away from what would soon be coming. She sat there a little while longer, then text Rick to let him know she was there and was a bit relieved when he responded that he was on his way.

Knowing they were not yet there gave her the courage to get out of the car, gather her materials and make her way inside where she met with the contact she'd been working with at the Foundation to help organize this event. They'd toured the "classroom" where the class would be held with the woman pointing out that all of the mini canvas and painting materials were set up. Additionally, Michonne was pleased to see that the room was illuminated well, with the perfection that was the late morning light streaming through the windows. After she and the woman toured and talked, going over the agenda for the day, Michonne had returned to the main activity room and began setting up her own canvas. She planned to do her own painting during the class, and was actually excited about doing it again, since she'd recently not had time to engage in her favorite hobby with her busy schedule. She continued to work on setting up her space and preparing her teaching materials, when she heard him behind her, Rick. She took a nervous breath, knowing that Carl would be with him and not really knowing how to act, then forced herself to smile then turned and greeted Rick and his son...

" _Hey!"_ She exclaimed to which Rick replied the same, but before she could turn to greet Carl, Rick surprised her, commenting on how cute she looked in the overalls she wore, inspire a laugh, before planting a quick kiss on her lips, making her feel flushed, yet uneasy and shy all at once.

" _Michonne, this is my son Carl."_ He then formally introduced her.

" _Carl…"_

" _We've met or don't you remember."_ The boy retorted, taking her aback as he cut off her response.

" _Carl…"_

" _I remember."_ Michonne then answered, stopping Rick's planned scolding of his son. " _But that was a tough night, for all of us."_ She said, the memory of what she'd lost that night, panging in her heart _. "I'm hoping we can put that behind us and start fresh."_

" _There is no us."_ Carl snapped.

" _No. There isn't, but I was hoping we could at least give each other a chance."_ Michonne countered.

" _A chance at what? To be my new mom? My friend?"_

" _Car…"_

" _No."_ Michonne asserted, interrupting Rick's response _. "I don't want to be your new mother or your friend."_ She said shocking the boy. _"I thought we could be acquaintances."_

" _Acquaintances?"_ The boy questioned, clearly not understanding the definition of the word.

" _Two people who know each other, who respect each other and have your father in common."_ She explained.

" _I don't want to be your acquaintance. I don't want to know you."_ Carl bit back, then stormed away.

* * *

Rick yelled for his son, then excused himself from Michonne before running down Carl. He caught up to his son heading out the door of the community center, but managed to stop him. _"Hey!"_ He exclaimed as he grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. _"This is not what we agreed!"_

" _I don't want to be here!"_ Carl yelled.

" _I don't care."_ Rick strongly countered. _"You are here, and you will behave with respect."_

" _I don't know her."_ Carl angrily sulked.

" _No you don't but you will res…"_

"I don't like her and you can't ma…"

" _Shut your mouth and listen!"_ Rick nearly roared, instantly shutting Carl down. _"I know you don't want me dating, moving on from your mother. But Michonne and I are together and that's not going to change."_ He declared to his cheerless son. _"Now you will give this a chance, and you will respect Michonne while doing it. Do you understand me?"_ He firmly stated, but Carl stubbornly wouldn't answer. _"Do you understand me?"_ Rick questioned again, raising his voice again, which incited Carl to grudgingly nod. _"Now we are going to go back to Michonne and you're going to apologize for your behavior, right now."_

* * *

Michonne began preparing her canvas for painting, adding a base coat to the blank mural, then picking the colors she planned to use while thinking about what had occurred moments before. She was concerned, scolding herself for not pushing back more when Rick had made his request for her to officially meet Carl. Now the meeting had happened, and Carl had stated what they already knew, that he wants nothing to do with her. As a result, there was no way for them to start over, to give him more time to get used to the idea of his father dating, which had her wondering where they'd go from here. Michonne selected the colors she planned to use, some pastels along with a few vibrant hues, when she caught something out the corner of her eye and turned to see that Rick and Carl were walking her way. She casually, briefly looked way, pressed down her growing anxiety, then waited for them to fully reach her. When they did, it was just as she expected, a situation that was ripe with an awkward tension, when Rick spoke after several moments of silence…

" _Carl. Don't you have something to say?"_ He asserted looking to his son. The young boy defiantly crossed his arms across his chest, the scowl appearing to deepen on his face _. "Carl."_ Rick pushed again, his tone more stern. The boy sighed and rolled his eyes, then finally found his tongue.

" _I'm sorry."_ He stubbornly stated, looking past Michonne as if not to acknowledge her.

" _Look her in the eye and say it again."_ Rick demanded, his tone clearly reflecting his thinning patience. Appearing to fear the tone in his father's voice, Carl instantly obeyed. He looked Michonne in the eyes and said the words again, this time with some semblance of sincerity…

" _I'm sorry for being mean."_ He sourly stated.

" _It's okay. I know this is hard."_ Michonne replied, surprising the young boy, who's angry stance for a second faltered.

" _I have to go to the bathroom."_ He then announced out of the blue, quickly shutting down again, deflating the smidgen of hope Michonne had at the chink she saw in his wayward armor. Rick gave him permission to go with the directive to come right back. Carl then left the scene, rushing away as if he couldn't go fast enough as Michonne and Rick looked on.

Michonne sighed and turned her eyes away, thinking that this was going to be a lot harder than she expected.

" _You okay?"_ Rick asked.

" _Yeah."_ She quietly replied as she resumed preparing her materials for painting.

" _Look I know that wasn't easy."_ Rick said, drawing her eyes to him. _"But it'll get better."_

" _I hope so."_

" _I know so."_ Rick stated, then leaned in and chastely kissed her lips.

* * *

The community event had gone well. The kids had loved the painting activity and were happy to take their work home as well as a few painting materials so that they could practice on their own. Michonne really enjoyed the experience herself and had spoken with the contact at the Foundation and the Community Engagement Manager at the Sheriff's Department about doing it again. Not only was it enjoyable for her, but it cleared her mind, successfully freeing it, for a time, from the concern she had about her earlier encounter with Carl. After the event was over, they'd been starving. Though the event did serve food it was for the participants and mentoring Sheriff Deputies and while Rick was a deputy he'd been busy helping host – serving pizza, beverages and cake and hadn't a moment to get something to eat himself. So Michonne had changed out of her overalls and they'd decided to go to dinner after – heading to Rory's Burger Bar – Carl's favorite. It had been strange walking into the place that was filled with patrons, many whose eyes fell on them some fleetingly, some curious, some unpleasant and judging - at what she was certain was her being black and out for dinner with a white man and his son. They were seated quickly in a booth in the back corner of the restaurant, mostly out of view of the other customers and Michonne wondered if that was truly the only table they had or were they being purposely seated away from everyone else. The questions she had, soon faded due to the pleasantness and genuineness of their waiter, putting her wonder to rest.

They'd ordered their food and now waited for its arrival. Michonne nursed a glass of soda, which she wished was something stronger, certain that a glass of wine would help ease the tension she was feeling, but she felt uncomfortable drinking alcohol with a kid around, and she just didn't want to provide any more ammunition to Carl's already negative impression of her. They all sat awkwardly quiet after the waiter delivered their drinks, with Rick for the first time in months sitting across from her instead of at her side in the booth. She understood why he'd chosen to sit that way. He wanted Carl to feel that he was still his father and was there for him, but surprisingly, the very thing that had at first made her feel uneasy, she now missed and wished that he was sitting next to her in the booth.

" _Your father tells me you play soccer."_ She then suddenly stated, needing to say something to try and chip away at the ice between her and the boy. _"How long have you been playing?"_

" _Three years."_ Carl mumbled as he toyed with the napkin before him.

" _He wanted to play football."_ Rick repeated what she already knew. " _But with the concussion dangers in that sport I said no."_

" _So it was football, just not American football?"_ She lightly directed to Carl. _"Did you like it right away?"_

Carl shrugged, still refusing to look her way and gave a one word answer. _"No."_

" _What made you change your mind about it?"_ She pressed on and threw a look at Rick, letting him know that she was drowning and to please help, but instead he gave her a look of encouragement to continue on.

" _No hitting. I didn't like the hitting in football."_ The boy opened up more.

" _That sounds like me when I was your age."_ She stated and watched in alarm as Carl sighed and rolled his eyes, but she continued on. _"I didn't want to play football, but I did want to run track. However my parents thought equestrian - horseback riding was the better investment."_

" _You ride horses?"_ Carl exclaimed with surprise, his attention curious and finally on Michonne.

" _Yeah."_ She said, feeling encouraged by the positive change in the boy's mood. _"I didn't want to do it, I wanted to run track but after I started learning it I loved it."_

" _Me too."_ The boy tentatively admitted, then seemed to shut down again, which prompted Rick to jump in, mentioning how his parents had a couple of horses, one of which Carl was allowed to ride when he visited with them.

" _I wish I could get in more rides, but my horse isn't in Atlanta, and even if it was, I don't think there are any horse parks in the city."_ Michonne commented.

" _You have a horse?"_ Carl then asked in awe, engaged again.

" _I do."_

" _If it's not in Atlanta, where is it?"_ He curiously asked.

" _She's in D.C., well Virginia with my parents."_

" _Do you ride her when you go home?"_

" _Sometimes. She's an old girl though. 20 years old. She don't have the legs she used to."_

" _What type is she?"_ Carl questioned, seeming to be completely intrigued by the idea that she had a horse.

" _Thoroughbred."_

" _Wow. Really?"_ Rick asserted.

" _My parents got a deal on her."_ Michonne explained, answering the question she knew was running through his mind about the steep cost of such a breed.

" _Still, I'm impressed."_ Rick seriously replied. _"And a little intimidated."_ He quipped with a smile, thinking that she'd likely downplay the wealth of her family.

" _Intimidating?"_ She then lightly scoffed _. "It's a little late for that."_ She said, giving him a gentle smile.

" _Maybe."_ Rick softly replied as he held her gaze, stirring a fire between them.

" _I have to go to the bathroom."_ Carl suddenly asserted, interrupting the moment. Rick immediately scooted out the booth planning to let his son out so that he could go to the restroom they knew well, when Carl made a clarification. _"Can you come with me?"_ He asked, which Rick immediately questioned. _"I'm afraid to go alone."_ The boy claimed. Rick knew that Carl was full of it, but rather than call him on in it and in turn cause a scene, he'd excused himself to escort his son to restroom. And that's how the dinner had gone, with Carl being hot and cold throughout the meal. He seemed to thaw a bit when the discussion consisted of sports, horses, hell even the weather. However, he'd completely shut down, becoming passive-aggressive and bordering on hostile, if Michonne and Rick displayed any form of affection towards one another. It hadn't been a totally pleasant experience, but it hadn't been horrible either. Progress had been made, which at the end of the day was a win.

* * *

An hour and a half later

Rick left Carl in the car that was warming up while he walked Michonne to her ride that was several spaces away from where he'd parked at the restaurant.

" _That wasn't too bad was it?"_ He commented after bringing her hand which he held in his to his lips and gently kissed it.

" _No. It wasn't bad."_ She agreed, comforted by the caress of his mouth.

" _But?"_ He questioned, hearing the hesitation in her voice.

" _I can't stay the night at your house."_ She declared as they came upon her car, stopping in front of the driver's side door.

" _You know I'm not expecting…"_

" _It's not that."_ She quietly injected. _"It's Carl."_ She said, confusing Rick. _"We've pushed a lot on him today. He spent time with us at the community center, then dinner and we still have tomorrow to go. I think me sleeping in his house, in your bed, the first day we've spent together may be a bit much."_

" _Michonne. He knows we're together."_

" _I know. And I'm sure he suspects that we've been intimate, but suspecting that we've become that close, and actually seeing that we are that close because I'm spending the night in your bed is a different thing entirely."_

" _This isn't just about him, is it?"_ Rick deduced with concern.

" _It isn't."_ Michonne admitted. _"Things are still very new for me and Carl, with us officially meeting each other for the first time today and spending all this time together. Let's not try and take on everything at once."_ Rick thought about what she'd said, seeing the truth in it, knowing that she and Carl may be feeling a little overwhelmed by their activities that day. He really hadn't even thought about that perspective until she'd brought it up. He was so focused on wanting Carl to accept their relationship and for them to interact in a positive way, he hadn't thought about the consequences of pushing for too much too fast – utter failure.

" _Alright."_ He reluctantly sighed. " _But I'm going to miss you tonight."_ He quietly stated. _"I was looking forward to holding you, waking up with you."_

" _There'll be plenty time of time for that, just not this visit."_ She uttered, then chastely tasted his lips.

" _Where will you stay?"_

" _The Marriot. I called and reserved a room while we were at the community center."_ She answered as Rick looked down, still feeling that kiss that though tamed, was everything, fighting the urge to beg her to stay the night in his home.

" _Don't go to the hotel."_ He then asserted, unable to stop himself.

" _Rick…"_

" _I understand why you want to stay the night there, and I won't try and stop you, but at least come back to the house with us."_ He proposed. _"You can drop your bags at the hotel and we can go back to the house and watch a movie On Demand, play scrabble, make out on the couch, I don't care as long as you come home with us."_ He stated, his eyes tender with wanting, touching her heart.

" _I don't know how much making out we can do with Carl around."_ She murmured, then teased his lips.

" _True."_ He slightly smiled. _"But at least we'll be together."_ He said, briefly touching her cheek. _"I'll bring you back to the hotel when you're ready."_ Michonne desperately wanted to say yes. To just go back to his place and chill out on the couch with a beer and bowl of popcorn, watching old movies and talking, just as they'd done before when she'd been in Palmer for a visit, but she just didn't feel it was the best thing to do with Carl being there, and she didn't want to screw up the headway they'd made, albeit small, by ramming their romance down his throat.

" _As tempting as your offer is, I have to say no."_ She quietly said, severely disappointing Rick. _"Today went okay, better than we expected. I don't want to push it."_

" _Ok."_ Rick had to concede, after several moments of quiet, wanting to counter her assertion _. "See you tomorrow?"_ He stated, with a hint of dejection.

" _Bright and early."_ She softly vowed as she gently caressed the stubble on his cheek then lean in and took lips with slow fervor.


	31. The Strangest of Circumstances

**Hi all – I apologize for the delay in updating this story. I've started another fic for Black Sails which has been taking a lot of time as has been real life. I hope to wrap this story very soon. I'm still trying to decide where I would like to end things. It'll be at the very least the next two chapters at most four chapters.**

 **In response to some of the comments to the last chapter regarding Michonne's career decision, some are under the impression that she took a job in New York. I'm not sure why this was concluded when Michonne clearly says "I'll have to be in New York** **every other week** **for at least three days…" The company she'll be working for is based in New York, but has a satellite office in Atlanta, which is where she'll be based. So she's not moving to New York.**

 **Thank you all again who have stuck with this story and continue to read and enjoy. I know this story has not been for everyone, but I do appreciate the support from all.**

 **Thirty-one**

The weekend with Carl had not gotten better, or worse. He still as obnoxious as he'd been when he and Michonne first met and thus a challenge to deal with. The following day, that Sunday, there'd been less pressure. They'd had brunch where the topic of discussion remained mostly on him, specifically his love of baseball and soccer, before Michonne had headed back to Atlanta. In the past few weeks, they'd only had two follow up outings with Carl. One had been pretty much like the first, tense and uncomfortable, while the other had been some better. They'd gone to Sky Zone Trampoline Park in Macon where he'd met friends and had a blast. It had given them little time to interact but the time they had together had been slightly better than the previous. They'd gone to dinner, and this time Carl had been more open, willing to talk about more than just the sports he loved, but also inquired about Michonne, curiously, yet reluctantly asking her about how she'd learned to paint and when she'd moved to Atlanta from D.C. However, despite some progress, there was still a wall there. Carl continuously struggled with the reality of her and Rick. Though he seemed to be more tolerant of their hugs and even their kisses, which they always kept chaste around him, he strangely showed serious discomfort if he witnessed an amorous look or thought between them. It would take time. They both knew, but for the first time, Michonne was feeling hopeful about her relationship with Carl.

* * *

" _You look amazing."_ Rick stated with amorous eyes as he stepped back from the hug he'd just shared with Michonne.

" _You look pretty hot yourself."_ She confessed then kissed his lips.

" _Do I?"_ He smiled against her mouth.

" _You do."_ She confirmed, driving him to commence another kiss.

" _You nervous?"_ He then asked as he slipped his arm around her back and they began their walk towards the entry of the restaurant where Morgan Jones, one of his closest friends, was throwing his wife a surprise birthday party at his brother's restaurant in Macon.

" _Why would I be nervous? I'm just meeting all your friends at once."_ She lightly replied, even as the anxiety she felt was somewhat apparent in her tone.

" _Not all, just many."_ Rick countered, inciting a nervous side eye from Michonne, which gave him a chuckle.

" _I don't know what's funny."_ She chided in jest. _"What if they hate me? Aren't some of them your Ex's friends?"_ She added with more seriousness.

" _Believe me there are no Angela's in that party."_ He assured, making her laugh despite of her edginess about the situation _. "Everybody will be cool, and it'll be fun."_ He said as he ceased their trek to look her in the eyes _. "You ready?"_ He then asked.

" _Yeah."_ She softly declared, her concern with the idea of meeting potential friends of his ex-wife gradually abating due to her trust in his word. Pleased, Rick smiled, then chastely kissed her mouth, before slipping his hand in hers and guiding them towards the door.

They walked hand in hand into the restaurant which had décor that was a cross between a nightclub and a strip joint.

" _You sure we're in the right place?"_ Michonne quipped.

" _Yeah."_ Rick confirmed, eyeing the place himself with some feelings of reservation. " _Morgan's brother owns this joint. You'll find he's a little more, worldly than the rest of us."_ He explained, which incited a smile from Michonne.

The place was packed with people, drinking and conversing, waiting for the birthday girl to arrive. Rick scanned the room, looking for those he knew personally, when he spotted them across the way and led Michonne to the table at which they were gathered. Her nervousness again reared its head, when she found herself face to face with what seemed like an endless group of Rick's friends. However, there genuine pleasantness after he'd introduced her to group, which quickly eased her disquiet. They were an interesting and diverse bunch, reflective of who Rick was. She'd met Gabriel, who everyone called "priest" due to him being perpetually single; Andrea, who seemed rather high on herself as did her boyfriend, Philip, who swore he was the smartest person in the room, but emitted a lack of confidence, which she was certain he had no knowledge of.

Morgan, who she'd heard so much about, had been absent during the initial meeting, for he was tasked with the job of getting his wife to the surprise party. However, Michonne did meet his brother, sister and in-laws, all of whom were very welcoming. Darryl, who'd been one of the first people she'd met during her initial trip to Palmer, was there as well. He'd perked up upon seeing her, but mumbled through his greeting, likely due to the drinks it was apparent he'd already consumed. His date was a feisty young woman, who was kind, but didn't seem to take any shit from anyone, which left Michonne to wonder where he'd had the pleasure of meeting her. She'd later discovered that Rosita, which was the woman's name, was predictably not from Palmer and that Darryl had met her when she was stripping at The Cheetah in Atlanta. She was now out of the game. Darryl had helped with that. She'd told Michonne. And was now making a living as a medical assistant on Peachtree in Brookwood. As Rick had said, they were all a cool bunch, except for one, Carol Pelletier, whom she figured was a close friend of Lori's, which had been confirmed later that evening.

When they were introduced, the woman had barely uttered a hello before she turned her eyes to Rick and stated…

" _Isn't it a little soon to be bringing your…friends to parties?"_ She reproached, instantly changing the mood of the introductions, making everyone uncomfortable.

" _Too soon for you? Because I don't see anyone else with a problem here."_ Rick retorted.

" _I didn't say I had a problem."_

" _Your comment says otherwise."_ Rick challenged.

" _Just making an observation."_

" _Well you can keep your observations to yourself."_ Pam, Morgan's sister-in-law, had jumped in. Carol had then excused herself from the group, which was followed by Pam stating that she didn't want any mess at her sister's party and wondered who'd invited Carol anyway. However, before anyone could respond, an announcement was made that Morgan had arrived with Jenny, and that they'd be walking inside, any moment.

* * *

Glasses of champagne was quickly passed around. The low music that was playing was silenced and every one waited for the birthday girl to enter. Moments later, she came through the door to a chorus of _"Surprise!"_ And was stunned and thrilled by what her family and friends had done. The party had immediately commenced. The music had been cranked up and the alcohol and hors d' oeuvres began to flow. There was an endless amount of finger food - hot wings, pigs in the blanket, tortilla pinwheels, baked cheese sticks, cranberry meatballs, sliders, along with an abundance of champagne and an open bar if guests desired something with a stronger kick. In the mist of all the excitement, Rick had taken a moment to apologize for what had happened with Carol, but Michonne had assured him there was no need. That she was fine. She then got the opportunity to meet Morgan and Jenny. Both of whom had been extremely kind. They spent quite a bit of time with them talking about life and careers. The Jones' enjoyed spending time with their son of course, but when they weren't getting in as much time as they could with Duane, they enjoyed their individual hobbies, Morgan – hiking and fishing, Jenny – crocheting and tennis, but the time they had together was mostly chill.

With Jenny being a flight attendant based out of Savannah, mostly for charter corporate flights, they rarely had unlimited time to spend together. However, when they did have the time, they'd do a night at home with popcorn and a movie – On Demand. Sometimes they'd drive to Macon for a concert then stay overnight to get some private time, and when the opportunity arose they loved to travel. Though Jenny only worked for corporate charter flights, she still had great connections that allotted them deals on airfare. As a result, they'd been to some wonderful places – Mexico, England, France and Oahu – the previous spring.

" _I wasn't impressed."_ Morgan had confessed.

" _With Oahu?!"_ Michonne had asked with surprise. _"That's the first I've ever heard that."_ Morgan had gone on to explain his qualms with Hawaii (Oahu) – the native cuisine, the crowds, the lack of breathtaking scenery, which Jenny had countered at every turn. She argued that her husband was just being picky and stated that she'd enjoyed the trip immensely. Michonne had agreed, that Oahu could be a tourist trap, but that some of the smaller islands (Maui, Kauai) and even the big island – Hawaii provided more beauty and exclusivity if that's what he was looking for _. "Next time you go, you should give one of them a try."_ She'd suggested, which Morgan had vehemently rejected, stating that he wasn't flying halfway around the world again for bad food and mediocre views, which had started a short debate on what constituted as flying "halfway around the world" before the conversation had returned to their careers and the challenges with Rick and Morgan having unconventional schedules as cops and them – Michonne and Jenny being non-traditional in their work due to the travel it entailed.

It could be a challenge but thus far things were going well, Rick and Michonne had declared. In the six-weeks since she'd been on her new job, she'd only had to travel once to New York, which allowed them the time they wanted for weekly visits with each other. Jenny had then made a point that Rick and Michonne had already thought of. That based on the duties of Michonne's job, her infrequent travel would eventually change, which would make them continuing to date a tough feat. _"Have you considered moving to Atlanta?"_ She'd then boldly asked Rick, but putting him and Michonne on the spot. _"Being in the same town will make things a hell of lot easier for ya'll."_

" _We haven't really talked about it."_ Michonne had fessed up as she turned contemplative eyes to Rick, thinking how when he'd mentioned it before, months ago, when they'd just started their relationship, she'd tabled the discussion, feeling it was too soon to address at that time, but things were different now. Perhaps it was time to revisit the discussion again? She thought, seeing the same questions in Rick's eyes.

" _I'm not trying to get in your relationship…"_

" _Honey, but you are in their relationship."_ Morgan sighed.

" _But if ya'll are really serious about being together, which I think ya'll are, maybe it's something you should consider, seriously."_ The woman had then said, ignoring her husband then went on to detail how she and Morgan had worked out a system. She'd have two weeks with full on travel and two weeks where she wasn't away more than a day or two.

" _And I do the same."_ Morgan had revealed. _"I have some seniority at the station so I have some flexibility. I got my schedule change exclusively to days, so that when Jenny has down time, I'm there in the evening with her and Duane."_

" _This would never work if I was working for a commercial airline."_ Jenny had declared. " _With me working charter flights, the flexibility is something that can be accomplished."_ The woman had barely finished her thought when her family kicked the party into high gear, first by putting her on the spot, with friends and family and even Morgan getting up to tell stories about her 35 years on this earth, before the cake rolled out. They sang Happy Birthday then the dance party was on.

* * *

The music went loud and Michonne felt like she was clubbing in her twenties again. The DJ started off spinning tracks from the catalog of 90s R&B and Gansta Rap, mixed in with Bubblegum Pop, but quickly ventured into modern day chart jewels from Rae Sremmurd, Migos, Drake. Beyoncé, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, J Cole, The Weekend and too many others to name. She'd danced until her feet throbbed, but kept going. It was the first time she'd seen Rick dance and amazingly his love for it showed in his talent for rhythm and moves. After about an hour they'd taken a rest to have a drink and chat with some of the many attendees at the party, when not even 15 minutes into their break, the DJ started a fabulous mix of _T-Shirt_ (Migos) and _Fake Love_ (Drake).

A now tipsy Rick had no desire to sit this one out for he was digging the beat. Rick had led her onto the floor aching feet and all, with one hand in his, ushering her along while she raised her free arm to the roof pumping it in pace with the beat. Once on the floor, she and Rick first began dancing face to face, when completely immersed in the pumping music around her, she turned her back to him and the dance suddenly changed. Rick slipped his arm around her waist and gently pulled her against him, igniting a white heat that smoldered in her veins, arresting her breath. He then changed her rhythm, syncing it perfectly to him and in cadence of the song, heightening the fervor within her when he tenderly tightened his grip around her. Michonne gasped as her ass grinded against his groin, the feeling of it teeming with arousal, nearly dissolving her control, when the DJ slowed things down with an old-school jam - _Right and a Wrong Way_ (Keith Sweat), providing her a brief reprieve. Their dance had continued on, but slower and closer with the change of music. She now faced him, her eyes lost in his passionate gaze, her body as one with his, sexily swaying as he slipped his hand over her ass, then hotly took her mouth crushing her resolve.

* * *

Minutes later, Rick and Michonne were outside the restaurant in the cool night air, positioned against her car. Their mouths melded together, passionately, hungrily as Michonne slipped her hands in his hair, intertwining her fingers through its curls, driving Rick to moan to ardently deepen his gentle assault on her mouth as his hand slipped down her back to fervently palm her ass. Michonne gasped, then pulled away, causing Rick to groan, as he moved to draw her to him again when just as their lips were a mere breath apart she breathless whispered…

" _I'm ready."_

" _Are you sure?"_ Rick breathed at hearing the words he'd been waiting weeks to hear, that she was again ready to make love. Michonne silently answered by taking his mouth with sweet passion, inciting him to pull her closer, to tighten his arms around her, when suddenly the moment was stayed by the ringing of his phone. Their kiss ceased, with Rick resting his forehead against hers his breath heavy with fervor as was hers, contemplating whether he should let it go to voicemail, just as the ringing stopped, but then persisted again, making the choice for him.

An hour and a half later

Rick and Michonne arrived in Palmer, with her at the wheel due to Rick's inebriated state. The call had been one of importance. With Lori spending the weekend in Savannah, Rick had to pay a babysitter to keep Carl. It had been her on the phone, informing him that Carl had fallen ill. They'd decided to leave the party, with Rick suggesting Michonne head back to Atlanta considering their weekend was likely shot with Carl being sick. However, Michonne had rejected this suggestion, telling Rick that he was in no condition to drive, to which he'd replied that he could Uber home.

" _Now I know you're drunk. You can't take an Uber or Taxi from Macon to Palmer."_ She'd countered. _"I'll drive you home and we can decide what's next once we get there."_

Rick had disputed his drunken state, but agreed to allow her driving him home. They'd then left the party, stopped at a 24 hours McDonalds to get some coffee, then hopped on the road back to Palmer. By the time they reached the house, the coffee had sobered Rick. They'd gone inside to find the babysitter frazzled and relieved to see them. She'd directed Rick to Carl's room where he was laying down. Rick had then immediately gone to check on him and the babysitter had soon left. From there the night had turned into endless trips to the bathroom for Carl who understandably had a difficult time due to the frightening experience of dealing with an upset stomach. Michonne had intended to leave, to find a hotel for the night, per Rick's suggestion and really what would be the point of her remaining there when his child was sick, but it had actually worked out. She'd decided to stick around and help Rick out with Carl. While he was rushing his son to the restroom, soothing him through the horror of being sick, she, per Rick's request, fixed Carl some Apple Cider Vinegar to rinse out his mouth, which helped clear the taste of sickness. Furthermore, while doing this, she'd thought of a home remedy her grandmother used, that did wonders for her when she was sick to her stomach as a child. She'd easily found the simple ingredients in Rick's cupboard and quickly pulled together the concoction.

" _Hey."_ Michonne asserted as she came down the hall and saw Rick stepping out of Carl's room _. "I brought Carl some Cinnamon water."_ She said, holding up the steaming mug.

" _Cinnamon water?"_

" _My grandmother used to make it for me when I was a kid. It'll help with the nausea."_ She explained. Moments later they entered Carl's room, where he lay on the bed, looking white as a sheet and miserable.

" _Hey little man."_ Rick said, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. _"You want to sit up? Michonne made something that might help with the nausea."_

" _I don't want anything from her."_ The boy stubbornly replied, then swallowed hard as if he was fighting a strong bout of nausea.

" _You want to keep feeling sick?"_ Rick countered. _"Or you want to try something that may help?"_ The boy looked to his father and then Michonne, conflict in his eyes. They could see that he wanted to let down his guard, to try what had been brought, to feel better, but there was another part of him that seemed to be battling any attempt at accepting Michonne. She was just about to go, to give the boy the space that he might need. After all, she was a stranger in his bedroom uninvited. However, the boy slowly sat up and asked what was it? Stopping her planned exit.

" _It's cinnamon water."_ She softly answered as she cautiously walked forward the cup still in hand.

The boy frowned and swallowed, appearing to manage, for now, the strong feeling of sickness _. "It's just something that might help with the nausea."_ She said again what she'd told Rick, then explained to the boy what she had to his father minutes before, how she'd come to learn of the useful beverage.

" _Will I stop throwing up?"_ Carl innocently asked, hope in his tone.

" _Probably not."_ Michonne honestly replied, disappointing the boy as she walked closer to the bed. _"As yucky as it is, whatever it is that's making you sick needs to come out, but the cinnamon water will help you to not feel so sick."_ She said. _"Do you want to give it a try?"_ The boy looked down then answered with a slight nod. Michonne sat down in the chair next to the bed and gave the young boy the now warm mug helping him hold it in his hands, then watched as he carefully brought the cup to his mouth. "Sip." She gently directed. _"Just a little a bit."_ Carl obeyed, taking a sip of the water then leaned his head back, against the headboard, his breathing heavy and closed his eyes.

" _How're you feeling?"_ Michonne quietly asked after a short while.

" _I still feel a little sick."_ He shakily answered.

" _But are you feeling better?"_

" _A little."_

" _Good. You'll continue to feel a little nauseous until the sickness completely clears up."_

" _I don't want to throw up again. I hate throwing up."_ Carl sighed with frustration.

" _Me too."_ Michonne confessed, with a sympathetic smile, when the boy took another swig of the water, then made a confession of his own, after his father, seeing that Michonne had the situation under control and that she was bonding with his child, quietly left the room. _"I'm not sick because of a bug."_ He'd said, which was what his father thought. Then revealed that he was sick because he ate too many cookies. He didn't eat them all at once. The boy had explained. He ate a few, drank some milk, played his X-box, ate a few more, drank more milk, played more X-box and that's how it went for the past few hours until he got sick.

" _Are you going to tell my Dad?"_ He then worriedly asked. _"Don't you think your dad will figure it out when he sees all the cookies and milk gone?"_ Michonne had gently pointed out. To which the boy had sadly agreed, then decided he'd tell his father himself, swore he'd never eat like that again then distressingly announced that he was going to be sick once more. Michonne had rushed him to the restroom, where they found Rick cleaning up the mess that had been made before. Rick had taken it from there, helping his son. Michonne had returned to the front part of the house to fix more Apple Cider Vinegar for Carl to rinse. Surprisingly when she brought it for him to use, he'd asked if she would sit with him again in his room. She had agreed and during that time she'd answered questions he had about her childhood – specifically about being sick, her grandmother, her favorite thing i.e. toys, her horse etc. in between his bouts with sickness, which forced him back to the restroom. This exercise had continued until the wee hours of the morning, when the illness finally abated, and Carl found rest, falling into a peaceful sleep, but not before drowsily telling her _"You're not so bad."_

* * *

Not long after, an exhausted Rick and Michonne made their way to the living room and crashed on the couch.

 _"I guess us picking up where things left off at the party is out?"_ Rick tiredly, huskily asked.

" _Um yeah. You guessed right."_ Michonne lightly retorted, severe fatigue in her voice. _"There's always tomorrow."_ She softly added then gently kissed his mouth, with a hint of passion, rousing a warmth within him, before settling into his arms. She sighed and Rick groaned as he wrapped his arms around her. Both loving the feel of having each other so close.

" _You were great tonight, great with Carl."_ He stated, unable to keep the joy out of his voice at seeing his son and the woman he loved finally bonding, even if it was under the strangest of circumstances _. "Thank you for staying and helping."_ He said, then kissed her forehead.

" _I didn't mind. It was an experience."_ She said, then again brushed his lips with hers and lay back in his arms.

" _It's parenting, and you're not as bad as you think."_ He seriously uttered, remembering her frequent comments about not being good with children. There was a moment of quiet, with Michonne contemplating his assertion, thinking that this would've been her life had her pregnancy been successful, but then having the terrifying, yet exciting realization that someday this would be her life, her future with Rick, when he stayed her thoughts with an utterance…

" _You know, I've been thinking about what Jenny said…not just tonight, but…since we got back together…"_

" _Me too."_ Michonne quietly interjected, knowing exactly what he was talking about, surprising him with her admission.

" _Really? So? What do you think about it, me moving to Atlanta?"_ He asked, prompting her to sit up, to turn and face him, crossing her bare legs and feet before her on the couch.

" _I love the idea."_ She confessed. _"Like Jenny said, it would certainly make dating simpler."_

" _But there is Carl."_ Rick stated the obvious. _"Despite, strangely, how well things went tonight, our relationship will continue to be a challenge for him. If I were to move us to Atlanta…"_

" _It may cause a setback, and Lori would surely try to stop you from making a move away from Palmer."_ Michonne finished his thought.

" _No doubt."_ Rick sighed, then leaned his head back on the couch and closed his eyes, thinking of the nightmare that could be Lori when he decided to move to Atlanta.

" _Then there is your job."_ Michonne continued, drawing his eyes back to her. _"You're established here. You have tenure with the King County Sheriff's Department. Any new position you get you'll be starting over, without the benefit of having seniority."_ She said. _"Which likely means a shitty schedule and no time off, at least for a while. You moving to Atlanta will not just be a huge step in our relationship, but a huge step for you. Are you ready to walk away from this place that's been your home for the past 16 years? Moving to Atlanta would mean that you'd leave all of this behind."_

" _Michonne, it won't be like I'm moving to the other side of the world, it'd just be to Atlanta."_

" _I know. It's only 300 miles away, but still your family and friends won't be around the corner anymore. You won't have anyone but me."_

" _That doesn't sound so bad."_ Rick quietly replied as he gently caressed her cheek.

" _I'm serious Rick."_ Michonne sighed at his touch _. "Starting over in a new place, with new people, a new job, can be more difficult than you think. I want you in Atlanta, but I want you and Carl to be happy there."_

" _I'll be alright. Carl will too."_ He confidently assured. _"Lori is this one that's gone be the problem. She'll fight this tooth and nail."_

" _So what do we do?"_

" _I don't know."_ Rick honestly replied. _"But we'll figure it out."_ He said, then leaned forward and kissed her lips, before he drew her in his arms again.


	32. A Glimpse of a Future Family

Thanks everyone for hanging with me. I have two more chapters to go and then the Epilogue. I'm going to try to wrap this by the end of the month. I'm really ready to close this story out but we'll see if RL and my other frivolous activities will allow me to meet this deadline.

Last chapter, someone asked Carl's age. He's 10-years old in this story.

 **Chapter Thirty-two**

Michonne carefully walked along the snow coved sidewalk while battling the precipitation that was now falling heavy from the sky, blowing in her face. This was the craziest thing. She thought. A snowstorm in Georgia in March. It had been known to happen, but was extremely rare. The last time being over 20 years earlier, and for that reason the weathermen had guaranteed that this was not likely to happen. Yet here they were, with all the weather reports being wrong, and as a result, many had found themselves caught off guard. Michonne was thankful she'd gone to the grocery store earlier in the week, only because she'd needed to anyway. So, she'd not been caught up in the sudden rush of folks running to the stores to get bread and milk. Michonne continued her careful walk, scolding herself for wearing a skirt and designer boots instead of jeans and her Timberlands for such a trek _. "You've been in Atlanta way too long."_ She quietly uttered aloud. She should've known better considering where she'd grown up. However, when she'd got the call from Rick, her only thought was getting to him and Carl.

Rick and his son had been in town since the previous evening to attend the indoor soccer tournament at Philips Arena. The team for which Carl played had made it to the event and had a game last night and was due to play all day today – Saturday. The plan was after the tournament finished, Michonne would meet them for an early dinner at the Varsity, a restaurant Carl had been wanting to try for ages, before he and Rick would head back to Palmer, due to him having to work on Sunday. Unfortunately, midway through the tournament, the event had been suspended due to the inclement weather. By the time the tournament had been stopped and everyone could get out of there, it was too late for those who were not local to leave town. For the ice and snow had already started to freeze on the roads and the storm was in full swing. Rick had decided not to risk the danger that was the weather and try to drive back to Palmer. Thus, he'd remained in town. He and Carl had returned to the hotel where they'd stayed the previous night only to find that it was completely booked, and the other hotels that were nearby had not been an option due to the expensive room costs, which was out of Rick's budget.

He and Michonne had frequently spoke throughout the ordeal, with her offering them a place to stay in her home, but Rick had initially declined. Not because he didn't want to stay with her, but because he wanted to make sure all options were exhausted, to Carl's eyes, before they resort to their "last option" of staying with her. Though, over the past few weeks, Carl and Michonne had made tremendous progress in their relationship, thanks in part to the night they'd bonded while he was ill, there was still some tension between them. While he was no longer unwelcoming towards Michonne, at times he could still be awkward with her, especially after witnessing her and Rick being affectionate with one another, even when it was just words. Therefore, they still had to tread lightly as not to mess up the progress they'd made, which was why Rick had exhausted all his options for getting a hotel prior to accepting Michonne's offer. Once Rick conceded to stay with Michonne, she'd advised that the best thing to do would be to take MARTA to the station closest to her, for the roads were already jammed with people attempting to get home. So, he'd left his car parked in the parking deck at Philips Arena, caught the Blue Line east to Five Points then caught the Red Line/North Springs train to Buckhead. Michonne had been off and on the phone with him until he and Carl were safely on the North Springs train. Now she made her way towards the Buckhead station to meet them.

* * *

Rick and Carl walked up the stairs and out of the train station, their overnight bags in hand, feeling a little lost and uncertain, but glad to be off MARTA. For though the transportation was normally reliable, the snow and ice was wreaking havoc on the tracks, causing the train to slow to a crawl and frequently stop for several minutes. At times, Rick had been uncertain they'd ever reach their destination, which had been frustrating, but not all bad, due to Carl enjoying his first experience on the subway. Rick and Carl stood under the roofing that covered a small area in front of the station, watching as the snow came down heavier, noting that the temperature had gotten considerably colder.

" _Dad, what do we do now?"_ Carl innocently asked.

" _We wait here."_ Rick answered. _"Michonne said she'd meet us…"_

" _There she is!"_ Carl exclaimed, interrupting his father. Rick looked in the direction in which his son was pointing and saw Michonne walking towards them, down the sidewalk, inciting him with a smile.

* * *

45 minutes later

They entered the condo, all sighing at the great feeling of being home after making what would have normally been a 20-minute walk, taking 25 minutes longer due to the inclement weather. They walked into the condo and Carl was instantly wowed. He had shown wonderment and surprise, when they'd come upon the tall glass building which housed her condo, awed at the opulent lobby, but was especially amazed when he saw the inside of her home.

" _You live here?!"_ He exclaimed, briefly looking to Michonne, upon seeing the grand space, completely taken by all the windows, specifically the ones that accented the living room, overlooking the skyline that was being beautifully pelted with snow.

" _I do."_ Michonne replied as she hung her keys on the key rack by the door and watched with a smile as the boy dropped his bag and made his way over to the large windows.

" _Have you all eaten?"_ She asked as she and Rick slipped off their coats and hung them in the closet near the door.

" _No. We haven't had anything since breakfast."_

" _Ok I'll cook us something."_ She said, closing the closet door, then kissed his lips. Wanting instantly igniting, reminding them of the lovemaking they'd yet to recommence due to mother-nature – her cycle, his weekend work schedule or Carl being with them, negating any opportunities for intimacy. " _What do ya'll want?"_ Michonne uttered with fervor after forcing her mouth way from him.

" _I want…"_

" _Don't answer that."_ She quietly advised against what she knew he was going to say, seeing it in his eyes. Nonetheless he ignored her advice, answering in his own way by swiftly tasting her mouth, brushing his tongue deep within, rousing her to a silent moan, to tremble when he then hesitantly pulled away.

" _I can do Chicken Pot Pie, Tortellini soup, Hamburgers…"_ She resumed what she originally planned to say, her voice uneven with desire.

" _Let's do hamburgers."_ Rick shakily stated, working to control the yearning that was blazing within him. _"If you don't mind I'm going to have Carl get cleaned up. He's been playing ball all day."_

" _Yeah that's fine. He can use the bathroom on the front side of the condo next to the other bedroom."_

" _Ok."_ Rick replied, then called for his son, letting him know it was time to get cleaned up. Carl was reluctant to comply. For he wanted to remain at the window, watching the snow fall, but Rick added a sternness to his command which got the boy moving.

* * *

Once Carl was busy getting cleaned up, Rick had returned to the kitchen, where Michonne was starting dinner.

" _You get him settled alright."_

" _Yeah, but he thinks this place is a mansion and that you're rich."_ Rick smiled, then kissed her lips, with more passion than chaste as she slipped one hand to the cusp of his inner thigh, squeezing it softly, igniting a groan. Rick then went deeper, savoring her mouth with more fervor as he gently moved her against the counter and descended to her neck, stroking and biting it. Michonne gasped his name as the fever grew stronger, threatening to overtake her but somehow she managed to reel it in, drawing his mouth from her neck, then back to her lips, kissing them lingeringly, then breathlessly speaking.

" _We can't start this right now."_ She whispered " _Otherwise there is a very good chance your son will walk in on something he does not need to see."_ Rick hung his head and blew out a breath, then drew on the air, letting it go deep, struggling to calm his passion while Michonne took the opportunity to move away from him and return her attention to preparing dinner. Eventually, Rick joined her, helping, after getting his fervency under control, acting as if it was all good, even as fire burned in his veins.

" _What are they saying about the weather?"_ He asked glancing at the small flat screen TV that was mounted above the fridge, while distracting himself with preparing the onions for mincing.

" _Snow all night and into tomorrow. They think we'll get about 6-10 inches."_

" _6-10 inches?! Are you serious?"_ Rick exclaimed with shock.

" _Yeah. And freezing temperatures for the next couple of days. So, I don't know if you and Carl will be able to leave tomorrow."_ Michonne replied as she beat a mixture of eggs and breadcrumbs, when she sensed Rick walk up behind her, so close she could feel his breath on her neck, teasing her, when he whispered in her ear...

" _Well that might not be so bad."_ He huskily uttered, then slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him, then caressed her ear with his tongue, exploring the inside, before hotly relishing its lobe, causing her to gasp.

" _For you, but what about for Carl?"_ She breathed, striving, but failing to stay focused on his son who was just a couple of rooms away.

" _We're here. We can't go anywhere. So, he'll have no choice but to deal with it."_ He contended, then slipped his hand to her cheek, turning her face towards him, then hungrily probe her mouth.

" _Carl."_ Michonne sighed, reminding Rick that he was just a voice call away, after removing her lips from his, struggling with her need for more of him.

" _I know."_ Rick breathlessly declared, then kissed her again, once more slipping her his tongue, nearly undoing her.

" _Dinner."_ She asserted with strength, when they came up for air, her lips still so close to his, yearning to take them again, when the sizzling pan on the stove, stopped her. Michonne reluctantly extracted herself from his grasp and turned her attention to the stove, lowering the temperature of the pan, while Rick struggled to return to his self-appointed task of preparing the onions.

Michonne finished blending the eggs and breadcrumbs then handed it over to Rick who added the minced onions, poured the mix into the ground beef along with Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper, then began frying. As he tended to the cooking burgers and Michonne prepared an avocado salad, their passion slowly cooled and turned to conversation. They'd briefly discussed Lori, who had been angry to get the call that he and Carl were remaining in Atlanta due to the storm. She'd accused him of using the weather as some excuse to create a family weekend with he, Carl and Michonne which Rick had denied.

They'd then talked about their work and the next time they'd have a date weekend, which stirred a discussion about his interviews with MARTA Police. A few weeks earlier Rick had received a job tip from one of the APD (Atlanta Police) officers he'd befriended at the law enforcement summit he'd attended in October. The man had told him of the job and offered to put in a word for him if he was interested, to which Rick had been intrigued and sent the man his resume. Soon after he'd got a call and so far, had gone through two interviews, one over the phone. The other in person, with another scheduled for the following week. He and Michonne had just began to go deep into the discussion about his interviews and next steps if he got an offer, when Carl had reemerged, all cleaned up, stopping the conversation.

" _It smells good. Is it ready?"_ The boy eagerly asked as he came into the kitchen.

" _No. 20 minutes."_ Rick answered as he flipped over a couple of the burgers to which Carl sighed in disappointment and aggrieved that he was starving, prompting Michonne to ask if he wanted a snack until dinner was ready.

" _I have strawberries in the fridge."_ She'd offered. At first, Carl was reluctant to accept, but hunger won out and he assented to the suggestion. With the small bowl of fruit in hand the boy returned to the windows in the living room, innocently watching the snow come down until dinner was served.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, they'd assembled in the dining room and sat down to eat. The meal had started off awkward with them engaging in little conversation and being focused on their food, when Michonne broke the tense mood by asking Carl about school. The boy replied that it was going okay. He admitted that he was struggling with math, which Michonne had assured him he'd eventually get. She asked him what part was giving him problems and he'd answered - fractions. Michonne had offered to provide some pointers, which Rick had mentioned may be useful if he wanted to get his grade up by the end of the year and be rewarded with that new comic book he wanted.

Curious, Michonne had asked which comic was that, which led into a long discussion about the latest release from DC – specifically Batman and then TV – Gotham. Carl had complained that his father wouldn't let him watch that show because he thought it was too violent which had led to talk about more television shows that had somehow evolved into a conversation about the summer. Michonne had stated that she'd been so busy she'd not had time to think about her plans while Rick had mentioned he'd love for them to take that trip to Amicalola Falls, something discussed when they'd first met, with Carl reacting uneasy about that proposition by asking that his father take him to the beach that summer. They'd finished their meal, stuffed and stimulated by conversation then moved to the living room where Michonne kindled a fire in the hearth. They then watched TV – _Despicable Me_ and a rerun from of _The Flash_ with Carl sitting in the side chair while Michonne and Rick cuddled on the couch. They spent a couple hours, watching TV almost like a family, save for the lingering uneasiness Carl seemed to display at seeing his father and Michonne being a little more open about their coupledom. Once _The Flash_ had gone off and a repeat of _Arrow_ came on, the boy had announced that he was tired and thus decided to go to bed.

* * *

" _You think he went to bed because he was really tired or because he still feels weird around us?"_ Michonne asked as she and Rick cleaned the kitchen, now placing the small serving of leftover avocado salad in a Tupperware container then in the fridge.

" _I think it was a little bit of both."_ Rick stated as he put away a pan he'd dried. _"But we are making progress."_

" _I agree."_ She concurred, thinking about the variety of conversation at dinner. Though it had started slow, eventually the discussions had unfolded with depth and ease, and despite Carl's continuous struggle to fully embrace her being with his father, he at least seemed to be trying.

" _It's been a good night."_ He softly said.

" _Yes. It has."_ She uttered in the same soft tone, then gently kissed his lips and moved to continue her task of putting away the leftover food – sliced tomatoes and bottles of ketchup and mustard. Just as Rick put down the glass he'd been drying and pulled her back to him, kissing her passionately, igniting a fire within her.

" _I want to, but we can't."_ Michonne sighed.

" _Why not?"_ Rick questioned with passion.

" _Isn't it obvious? Your son is down the hall. He's just warming up to us and I don't want to screw it up."_ She explained _. "No pun intended."_ She added with a smile.

" _I like the pun."_ He sexily said as he pulled her closer to him.

" _Rick!"_ She quietly scolded.

" _Hey, I get what you're saying. I do, but..."_ He countered and planned to say more but instead showed her, by ardently taking her mouth, compelling her to meet his intensity with her own, fervently tasting his tongue, running her hand through his curls, inflaming him, driving him to lift her from the floor and onto the counter behind them.

* * *

The Next Morning…

Michonne opened her eyes to the stillness and peace that was the snow still falling outside her bedroom window. She drew a breath, savoring the beauty of the scenery ahead while reliving the hotness of the night before. She and Rick had taken an incredible risk, doing what they did in the kitchen no less, where Carl could've walked in at any moment. However, it had been so long since they'd experienced each other that way. They'd done other stuff, oral acts, when making love wasn't an option, but it just wasn't enough. She needed to feel Rick in a way she hadn't in months, and he needed the same. Thus, they'd succumb to their desires in the most inappropriate place. Thankfully Carl was out like a light. And did not walk in on that display. Otherwise … well she didn't want to think about the alternative. Michonne mused with a relieved smile, when she felt Rick, slowly awakening, tightening his arms around her, then passionately kissed her neck, heating her all over, as his hand slipped over her bare breast.

Michonne blissfully sighed, then turned to face him, fervently capturing his mouth, driving him to return the fervor, to devour her lips as he slipped his hands under her thighs and shifted her beneath him. She gasped at his splendid shaft, teasing her center, making her tremble with yearning. For a moment, their gazes held, heated with ardor, seeming to deepen the emotion between them, when he lowered his mouth to hers and cherished it with controlled fire, heightening the fever between them, just as he entered her walls.

Rick groaned at the pleasure, at the feel of her around him, while Michonne breathed with happiness. He then began to move with deliberate passion, slow and taunting, sparking her to keen his name, to meet his thrusts with her own sensuous movement, which quickened his desire, driving him to explore her depth, to unleash the white heat that burned between them. When they could feel it, hotness and hunger, building within them, propelling them higher, stripping away their control, until the fire exploded within them. Rick collapsed atop Michonne, his breath heavy from exertion and euphoria, as was she. He then kissed her neck with languid fondness, stirring her with a sigh, then brought his eyes back to hers.

 _"That was amazing."_ He breathed with a smile.

" _Yeah. It was."_ Michonne breathlessly uttered, smiling back at him.

" _You think we can just spend the day in bed, making up for missing this all these weeks."_ Rick huskily question.

" _It's the perfect day for it, but..."_

" _Carl."_ He finished her response.

" _Maybe we can take him to the park so he can truly experience the snow._ _"_ Michonne quietly suggested.

" _Great idea_ _"_ He softly agreed. _"But until that time, there's another great idea we should consider."_

 _"What's that?"_ Michonne fervently questioned, when Rick answered by moving within her causing her to moan, her desire reigniting, just as they heard Carl call his name, looking for him.

Rick immediately pulled away from Michonne, cooling the moment, while she somewhat panicked, wondering what they should do. When Rick, being the experienced parent and knowing what Michonne was thinking, that she was not ready for Carl to see them in bed together, if ever, and him thinking the same, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips and exited the bed. He pulled on his boxers and t-shirt in record speed, racing to beat Carl to the hall before he reached the bedroom door, then left the room.

* * *

Rick walked out of the bedroom, pulling the door closed behind him, relieved that he'd made it outside the room before Carl made it all the way down the hall. He then met his son down the corridor, closest to the common space. _"Dad there's snow everywhere, and it's still coming down!"_ The boy exclaimed when he saw his father, running up to him.

" _Yeah I saw."_ Rick replied while guiding them back to main living space.

" _Can we go outside? Build a snowman? Go sledding?!"_ Carl excitedly asked. _"Please dad?!"_ Rick had answered _"Yes,"_ However, he'd not fully spoken his response when Carl firmly accosted him with joy, thrilled at the prospect of experiencing his first snow. _"It's like Christmas morning!"_ The boy had proclaimed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Michonne had entered the room, showered and over her concern that Carl would somehow know what had just happened between her and his father, asking what the excitement was all about. Carl had quickly revealed what was going on, that his dad had agreed to let him go outside, with Rick, who was in the kitchen looking for food to prepare a meal, telling him once more that they'd have breakfast first.

It didn't take long for them to whip together a meal of scrambled eggs, grits and freshly squeezed orange juice which Michonne had convinced Carl to help her make and he'd enjoyed it. Upon finishing breakfast, Rick had showered and they'd gotten dressed, and headed out to the small green space - Tower Place Park that was several blocks away from the condo. The walk had been a little hazardous and eerie due to the snow-covered sidewalks and deserted streets. Michonne had never seen Peachtree Street that abandoned, save for the early hours of the morning. It was as if the world had come to an end, and they were the only ones left in it.

By the time they got to the park, the snow fall had tapered considerably. They could enjoy the space alone, building a modest snowman out of the 9 inches of snow that had fallen. They'd used old buttons for the eyes and mouth, a carrot for the nose, and Carl had convinced Michonne to allow them to use her Burberry scarf as a final touch. She'd agreed to do it, but only just so they could get pictures of the fully decorated snowman on their phones. There was no way she was leaving a $300 scarf on a snowman in the park. She'd told them, which neither Rick or Carl could understand. Both looking at her like she had three heads at hearing the amount she'd paid for the accessory. _"It was a gift!"_ She'd clarified _. "From my mother, and its cashmere."_ They still did not get why anyone would spend so much on a scarf, but did get the sentimentality she may have for it, being as it was from her mother. They'd taken tons of pictures with the snowman alone and with them standing next to it, making all kinds of weird poses, making each other laugh. Carl had even suggested Rick and Michonne get a picture with the work of snow as she'd called it - together. They'd both been surprised at what they'd heard and were hesitant to do it, but Carl had assured that it was okay. So, they'd done one photo, with a crazy pose – Michonne hoisted on Rick's back and them towering behind the 5-foot creation with the peace sign over its head. It was ridiculous. They all knew, but still fun and hilarious to them.

As soon as they were done taking photos with the snowman, Carl had text his mother one of the pictures taken, the one of him alone, standing next to it making a distorted face. He thought she would get a kick out of his experience. Instead, it had nearly opened a can of worms. Right away, Lori had called inquiring about all they were doing, insisting that he not stay outside too long, that he shouldn't be out there anyway, that he should be in Palmer before demanding to talk to his father. Rick had spoken to her for a few moments, then abruptly ended the call when it was obvious nothing of value was being said. Just as a couple showed up to the park, with their three kids to enjoy the snow. They were nice people, whom Michonne and Rick had chatted with about the weather, where they lived and the kids, while Carl had become fast friends with the oldest child, engaging in snowball fights and playing on the sled they'd brought.

" _You alright?"_ Michonne asked as she and Rick sat alone on the bench, his arm around her and her hand on his thigh, watching as the couple played with their youngest kids while Carl had a ball with the child his age.

" _Yeah. Just sick of Lori's shit."_ He responded with exasperation _._

" _She pissed about the picture?"_

" _Pretty much."_ Rick replied. _"She can't stand the thought of Carl actually having a nice time with us."_ He said, causing Michonne to scoff and shaking her head at the woman who seemed as if she'd never just move on, and let this situation go – give up trying to make Carl hate her and Rick together, which spun an important thought.

" _Have you decided when you're going to tell Carl about your plan to move up here?"_ Michonne asked.

" _When I get a job offer."_ Rick quietly answered.

" _You think you'll get the job at MARTA?"_ She revisited the topic they'd not had the opportunity to fully discuss the previous evening.

" _It's early in the process, but I think my chances are good."_

" _Maybe you should tell him now, so that he can at least prepare for it."_ She suggested, glancing his way.

" _I get your point, but I think its best that I not tell him until I can give not just you, our relationship, but a new job as my reason for moving here."_

" _I doubt he'll buy that you suddenly got a job offer in the city where your girlfriend is living."_ Michonne countered _. "He'll know that you sought this out."_

" _I know."_ Rick sighed, bringing her hand to his mouth, kissing it. _"But having the job will help him accept the change."_

" _And Lori? When will you tell her?"_

" _At the same time, when I get the job, but after I tell Carl."_ He replied _. "I want to minimize any manipulation she may attempt on this situation."_

They'd spent a little more time at the park until the snow and wind again picked up, changing from a light fall to heavy and strong. They'd made the nearly hour walk back to the condo, making it fun by tossing a few snowballs in a brief snowball fight. When they finally arrived home, they all cleaned up, showering, before she and Rick headed into the kitchen to cook dinner, fixing homemade chicken pot pies.

After having an early dinner, they'd watched a little TV where they learned the storm would be tapering off and out of the Atlanta by later that night. Thus, the roads would be thawed by noon the following day. Carl had begrudged the news, surprising Michonne and Rick when he'd stated that he'd had the best time the last couple of days, when the moment was disrupted by a call from his mother. The boy had spent a long while on the phone with Lori and when the call was done he'd not much to say, being particularly distant from Michonne, sitting quietly while they watched one of his favorite movies On Demand – _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,_ until he'd fallen asleep on the couch and Rick had carried him to bed, with Michonne following.


	33. A Return to Normalcy

**Thanks everyone for the support. It's much appreciated!**

 **Chapter Thirty-three**

Months had passed since that wonderful snow weekend in mid-March where they'd bonded as a family and Carl had gotten more comfortable with Michonne. Despite the attempts by Lori to control Carl's response to Michonne, to make him hate her, their relationship had only grown stronger, as had the connection between her and Rick. Though, from the start, her new job had little interference with their courtship, they'd taken their cues from Morgan and Jenny and developed a routine. During the weeks in which Michonne worked in New York, Rick, if off, would travel to Atlanta on those weekends for a visit, and when she remained in Atlanta, Michonne would spend those weekends in Palmer with Rick and sometimes Carl, if he wasn't with Lori. The routine had worked well until mid-summer due to Fashion Week quickly approaching. As a result, she had to spend nearly every week in New York as opposed to every other week, and occasionally had to work the weekends, which had cause issues with their intended plans. It had been a challenge, but they'd gotten through it, revisiting the creativity that had been their initial courtship, long phone chats and Skyped movie dates.

Meanwhile, Michonne and Carl came to an understanding. She was not trying to replace his mother and he was not determined to be her best friend. They, as she'd told him once before, were just two people who had one person in common, his father. Therefore, they should learn to respect each other, and they did. Since the snow weekend, Carl had joined his father a few times in Atlanta to visit with her, and they'd spent an enormous amount of time watching movies On Demand and at the theater, then touring and bonding over some of the highlights of Atlanta - the World of Coca-Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, Six Flags, the College Football Hall of Fame etc. The indoor soccer tournament had been rescheduled for late April and the boy had asked if she'd come, to Lori's chagrin, who'd also showed up to the event. However, her presence, in the end, failed to accomplish what she'd intended. For though the boy did show some awkwardness at the situation, he'd still been friendly with Michonne. He'd even taken up her offer to help him with his math and had in turn finished the school year with a better grade in the subject.

* * *

The six-month interview process that Rick had endured for the job with MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) was coming to a close, which meant he was starting the two-month vetting procedure of criminal and professional reference checks, with a start date of early January 2018. Rick had only worked one place in his entire life, the King County Sheriff's Department. Therefore, several of his trusted colleagues received reference calls which increased the risk of Carl learning what was happening from someone other than his father. Rick had planned to tell Carl once the boy returned from the week-long stay in Eastman at his grandparents and after the Back to School Festival at the lake, but had ultimately decided not to wait.

During the drive back from Eastman, he told Carl everything – how he'd received the job offer, why he'd been looking in the first place and how it would eventually lead to them moving to Atlanta. The boy had been quiet throughout Rick's disclosure, then asked one question when he'd finished speaking. _"Does mom know?"_ Rick had explained that he planned to tell Lori within the next few days, but wanted to tell him first. The boy had then asked " _Are you going to marry Michonne?"_ It had been a logical question considering how close he and Michonne were. At first, Rick didn't know how to respond. It wasn't that he didn't know the answer to the question, but that he didn't want to make a situation that was already difficult to process for his now 11-year-old son, more complicated with a confession of his intentions towards Michonne. Therefore, he'd provided the only answer he could, that he loved her. Carl had accepted that answer and then gone on to ask many questions about the move. When it would happen? Where they would live? Would it be with Michonne? Rick had answered them all which had led to more questions about what that meant for the local sports he played and friendships he'd established in Palmer. It had been a long arduous conversation, which Carl had still been processing when early the next day Michonne had arrived for a weekend visit.

Her initial meeting with Carl, had some minor tension, but was overall friendly. The boy had honestly confessed his uncertainty about the move, leaving his friends and such. Nevertheless, he was kind of excited about his father working for the "trains" as he called it and living in Atlanta, which wasn't a surprise to Michonne. Being as the boy had come to love visiting the city and often regretted leaving when he and his father returned to Palmer.

* * *

With Michonne in town, for the last time before she'd be gone for more than a month with work, they'd decided to do something fun – the Back to School Festival at the lake. It was a traditional event that included carnival food and rides, and activity booths that were manned by the teachers who worked at the local schools.

The event had gone well. They'd participated in some of the activities and enjoyed the great food. They'd even visited the booth, that as a teacher at one of the local schools, Lori had been manning. She'd been barely cordial and was clearly unhappy to see the three of them together. Regardless, they'd made it through the meeting, then went about enjoying the festival, when Lori had miraculously found them amongst the sea of families and stormed up on Rick. Somehow she'd learned about his new job.

Lori had angrily confronted him stating that Chief Deputy Bratton's wife had just informed her and had brazenly told Carl that his father was running off to Atlanta to be with his girlfriend, expecting the boy to share her fury. However, she'd been stunned after deducing that her son was aware of the news and was mostly embarrassed by the scene she was causing. Rick had tried to calm Lori down and take her some place private to discuss, but she'd become more belligerent and demanded that they talk about it right there. Livid, Rick had walked away leaving Lori yelling behind him, ridiculing him for running away from their discussion. The incident had been ugly, and had resulted in them immediately leaving the Festival.

* * *

The ride back to the house had been incredibly uncomfortable, with Carl barely speaking to his father and not having a word to say to Michonne when they weren't there 15 minutes and Lori had shown up. She wanted to continue their "discussion" about his new job and inevitable move out of Palmer, but Rick had made her leave stating that he was not having the conversation at that time because she was too angrily. He was too angrily and didn't want to further upset Carl. At first Lori had refused to leave, and only when Rick had threatened police action had she finally left the premises.

Michonne had planned to stay the weekend, but had left a few hours later, frustrating Rick, who'd wanted her to stay. She'd let him know that she had no desire to go, but that he needed to talk with Carl about this alone.

" _Me being here will only inflame the situation."_ She'd said.

" _But that's what she wants, to cause trouble and drive you out."_ Rick had argued, not wanting her to go for so many reasons the main one being it would be the last time they'd see each other, touch each other before she was gone for a month working Fashion Week.

" _She's not driving me out."_ Michonne had strongly countered. _"I'm with you. I'm not going anywhere. But you need to work through this with Carl, get him to open up, tell you where his head is. He's not going to do that with me here."_ She'd explained; therefore, Rick had accepted her leaving and had found that she'd been right.

After she'd left Carl had been ready to talk, but it wasn't what Rick wanted to hear. The boy wanted to remain in Palmer, with his mom who was lonely. He'd said, excusing why she'd been so upset. He'd also mentioned his friends, stating that he'd never see them if he moved to Atlanta. This rhetoric had quickly gotten worse as Carl spent time with Lori. She'd even had him fearing that Rick wouldn't let her see him again, which had been very upsetting to the boy. Rick had convinced Carl otherwise, but not before tearing Lori a new one, letting her know if she kept up her antics she would lose Carl but not due to anything he'd done. Yet and still there had been a strain on his relationship with Carl that hadn't started to ease until weeks later.

* * *

Michonne had returned from being out of town, two weeks earlier. Therefore, this was the first time she, Rick and Carl would be spending a weekend together since the incident at the Festival. Rick had come to Atlanta the week before, picking her up from the airport, when she'd arrived home from France. They'd spent several days alone – making love and talking about what they couldn't address too deeply while she'd been away in Europe – one subject in particular, his move to Atlanta. With Rick due to start his new job in three months, they'd decided it would be a good time to begin looking for a new place. So, he'd brought Carl with him being as he'd be living at the new apartment too.

With her car being repaired, needing brakes and tires, Michonne had caught the train to have breakfast with her friends Maggie and Glenn, who had then dropped her off at the apartment complex where she was meeting Rick and Carl to take a tour. Michonne nervously walked into the clubhouse and immediately saw Rick and Carl, happiness soaring within her, then made her way over to them. She walked up to Rick, giving him a hug then chastely kissed his lips before turning her attention to Carl, who despite his less than welcoming greeting, she was happy to see.

" _She can't hear you mumbling."_ Rick firmly stated after Carl had barely grumbled _"hello"._ _"Open your mouth and speak."_ He commanded, to which the boy reluctantly obeyed, telling Michonne _"Hello."_

" _How have you been?"_ She'd asked the boy.

" _Ok."_ Carl replied with an awkward shrug, but she could see that he was struggling, wanting say more, but instead he'd asked. _"Can we see the apartment now?"_ Rick had said yes and they'd then gone to the Leasing Agent who'd gotten copies of their IDs, then directed them to the model apartment which was only a few steps away from the leasing office. As soon as they were through the door of the place, Carl had moved to put as much distance between him and them as possible, escaping to one of the bedrooms.

" _He'll come around."_ Rick assured as he returned his attention to Michonne.

" _I know. I'm just sorry we're at this stage again when so much progress had been made."_ She sighed, frustration in her tone, thinking of Lori's vengeful efforts to sabotage any positive growth they make with the boy. Rick then lightly kissed her lips, somewhat easing her exasperation, before they proceeded to tour the apartment. It had two bedrooms with large walk-in closets and a living /dining room of average size that could easily entertain a small group. The amenities of the complex were the standard – laundry room, pool, playground, but nothing particularly outstanding. The location was good. It was minutes from the airport and not terribly far from the nearest MARTA station – East Point. Therefore, Rick would have quick, easy access to work. There were plenty of restaurants and shopping in the area and the schools were average, on target for the most part with the Metro Atlanta Area, but certainly better than what was offered in Palmer.

" _I like it."_ Rick stated a hint of apprehension as they came to stand on the small balcony.

" _But you don't love it?"_ Michonne deduced.

" _I feel like I need more space, and it's what? 30-35 minutes from your place in Buckhead?"_

" _But it's in budget."_ Michonne countered. _"And it's not far from MARTA."_

" _True, but I didn't move all this way up here for there still to be a commute to see you. We've done that for the past year."_ He pointed out as he gently pulled her to him _. "I don't want to have to do it again."_ He softly said then hungrily caressed her mouth just as Carl stepped outside, interrupting them.

" _What do you think Little Man?"_ Rick asked with ease, his arm still around Michonne, whose head was now down, due to the shyness she felt at the boy witnessing what he rarely did, a passionate kiss between them.

" _Dad, I'm not a little man anymore. I'm 11."_ Carl griped.

" _Well you're not a man."_ Rick lightly countered. _"So I've got to call you something."_

" _Babe, I don't think he wants a nickname anymore. He just wants be called 'Carl'."_ Michonne chimed in, then gave the boy a wink, which he for an instant responded, exhibiting a scant of a smile, before seeming to remember that he was not supposed to be enjoying her company.

" _Thank you but I can speak for myself."_ The boy then asserted with uncertainty, still looking at Michonne.

" _Carl…"_

" _It's okay."_ Michonne interjected, stopping what she knew would be a scolding from Rick _. "You're right. You can speak for yourself. I'm sorry for speaking for you."_ She said and watched the boy flinch, his expression briefly softening, before he turned away from her and to his father.

" _I don't like it_." The boy stated, answering his father's earlier query.

" _You sure about that?"_ Rick asked the loaded question which spurred conflict in his son's eyes.

" _I'm sure."_ The boy weakly answered, his eyes glancing at the floor, frustrating Rick. He could see that Carl was so close to just embracing this new life they were starting and accepting a friendship with Michonne, but his mother's spitefulness against them was a constant in his mind, serving to conflict him and thus make their time together difficult.

* * *

After leaving the apartment in East Point, they'd headed to a few more properties, the drive uneasy and silent, save for a few brief exchanges between Michonne and Rick, and his hand gently stroking hers, wordlessly easing her ongoing concern about the situation with Carl.

The other apartments they viewed were all within the perimeter – I-285, weren't a significant distance from Michonne's condo and were at the very least close to a MARTA station. Most had been alright, with varying amenities and school districts that were satisfactory. As the viewings had gone on, Carl had become more communicative. He was speaking more, openly voicing his opinions about the properties they were touring and occasionally airing his grievances – upset that he was moving away from his friends and the sports teams in which he was a member. Still he'd not had much to say to Michonne and avoided her in an effort to keep from yielding to his instinct to be friendly to her. However, he'd become slightly more amendable when they toured a property that had been a standout to all three of them.

It was about 20 minutes from Michonne, near Aker's Mill Road. The schools in the district were good. There were plenty of shops and restaurants around, even a mall down the street. It was close to the highway and wasn't too far from the nearest MARTA station - Sandy Springs. The property was very trendy with lots of young tenants which meant few kids. The amenities were wonderful. It had the standard offerings but also had a nice size gym, car care center, beautiful clubhouse and outdoor space with a rooftop entertainment deck that provided a view of downtown Atlanta in the distance.

The apartment itself was great, stainless steel appliances, glass counter tops and wood flooring. Rick had been awed as had been Carl. However, there were drawbacks. Though Rick would be making significantly more money, several thousands of dollars more than what he had in Palmer, the rent was over budget. Furthermore, the traffic would be hellacious due to it being so close to SunTrust Park - the new Atlanta Braves Stadium and the I-285/I-75 interchange. Though Carl absolutely loved the location if for nothing else, because the Braves were close by, Rick had started to question whether he liked the idea of apartment living for him and Carl.

" _Maybe I should just scratch the apartment and keep my place in Palmer."_ He stated, thinking as he brought her hand to his lips kissing it.

" _I don't understand?"_ Michonne frowned, despite the heat his caress stirred, at his assertion, while they watched Carl standing across the way in wonderment at the view from the rooftop deck.

" _I could commute to work…"_

" _All the way from Palmer?"_ Michonne interjected with severe skepticism.

" _Here me out."_ He countered. _"My schedule will be pretty set. So, on the days I have to work I can remain in Atlanta, then go home on the days I'm off."_ He said. _"That way, I don't have to upset Carl's life right away. He can finish the school year in Palmer, get one more year with his soccer and softball team before moving up here."_

" _But your schedule with MARTA is gone be two days on, one day off which means you won't have any time to spend with Carl."_ She contended. _"Your off days would be spent driving between here and Palmer. You'd be exhausted. And where would Carl stay while you're up here? With Lori?"_

" _I really don't want to take him out of school mid-year."_ He voiced what he had in the past, his conflict with getting this job now. _"That's the least I can do considering how quickly things have changed for him."_

" _Well you can't delay your start for 6 months until school is over for Carl. So, your only choice would be to leave him with Lori for the rest of the school year. Then move him up here next summer."_

" _I can't leave him with Lori for 6 months. Who knows what she'd try to pull if he was left to live with her for that long. She'd probably go back to court and say I abandoned him then try and gain full custody."_

" _Then I think you know what you're going to have to do."_ Michonne stated then gave him a lingering smooch.

* * *

They looked at one more apartment before calling it a day and gone to dinner at the Hard Rock Café downtown. Carl was again in complete awe, loving the music and the iconic celebrity memorabilia on the walls. His stance had further softened during dinner, tentatively asking Michonne about Paris, what it was like to be on a plane that long. Did she have to speak French while there? She'd answered all his questions, even revealed that she'd brought him a souvenir from there. _"I was gone give it to your dad last week, but decided to give it to you myself."_ She'd told him and added that she would give it to him that evening when they went back to her condo. From there, the boy had gone silent. Perhaps not wanting to stay the night at her home, preferring to stay with his father at a hotel? Or maybe remembering that he'd been too friendly with her? However, things had not completely reverted to what they'd been in the beginning, for he did not take issue with her and Rick sitting on the same side of the booth, getting in a chaste kiss or two and flirting with one another. Nonetheless, he was still quiet through most of the dinner, not having much to say until Rick had abandoned the table at the end of the meal, to go to the restroom.

Michonne attempted to restart the conversation, stay the awkwardness between them by asking if he'd seen the new season of _The Flash_. The discussion had started slow, but had eventually gone deep into all that was currently happening, could happen and what would be incorporated from the comics into the show. It had turned into an exciting chat that was free of the tension that had plagued them before, when the discourse had eventually quieted and Carl had made an out of the blue assertion.

" _I'm sorry."_ The boy said, surprising Michonne.

" _For what?"_ She asked.

" _Being a jerk."_ He stated, then shamefully looked down. _"My mom wants me to hate you, to…blame you for my dad…divorcing her."_ He confessed, leaving Michonne completely stunned and thus not knowing how to respond. _"But I can't…hate you. I like you, for you, and because…you make my dad really happy."_ He continued, filling Michonne with joy. _"So…I won't give you any more trouble."_ He vowed in a childlike tone.

" _You sure about that?"_ She lightly quipped, which caused the boy to barely smile and shyly look down. _"Thank you, for the apology."_ She then seriously stated. _"It means a lot. But know that I understand that you're in a tough spot between your mother and father, and sometimes that can cause a little animosity."_

" _What's animosity?"_ The boy softly asked.

" _Feelings of dislike and anger."_ She answered driving him to divert his eyes again. _"I know this is tough."_ She reiterated. _"But if there is anything I can do to help, a talk with your father, an escape to SkyZone to jump out some of your frustration."_ She said, making him laugh. _"Anything, just let me know."_

" _Okay."_ The boy sighed, a weight appearing to have lifted from his innocent features, when Rick had returned.

" _What did I miss?"_ He tentatively asked.

" _The Flash, we were talking about the new season."_ Michonne asserted as Rick slid into the booth beside her then kissed her lips, warming her.

" _And how it sucks."_ Carl declared after taking a long sip of his chocolate milkshake.

" _It's not that bad."_ Michonne lightly countered, astonishing Rick who was pleased with the mood of the dinner improving while he was absent.

" _I wasn't feeling the Savitar stuff."_ Rick had agreed with his son, which had led to a long retread of what she and Carl had discussed earlier, then many topics surrounding TV, movies, and various other things, signaling a slow return to normalcy, and thus a wonderful close to what had started as a challenging day.


	34. Living Atlanta

**Hi all – This is the last "chapter". However, I have one more post which will be the Epilogue. I hope to have it posted by next Wednesday (May 31), at the latest.**

 **Thank you all so much for sticking with this story through the happiness and the heartache. I appreciate your support.**

 **P.S. - Someone asked last chapter how long Michonne and Rick had been dating. As of LAST chapter it had been nearly a year, if you start with when they got back together right before Thanksgiving 2016.**

 **Chapter Thirty-four**

Washington D.C. (Suburbs) – November 2018

Light, beautiful and bright streamed through the large windows framing every wall and corner of the room, providing a wonderful view of the Mitchell estate. The property was unlike anything Rick and Carl had seen, land as far as the eye could see, with perfect landscaping of trees and flowers. There was even a small barn on the property that housed Michonne's Thoroughbred horse as well as others, and with the expanse of acreage there was plenty of space for riding. The house was also immaculate. It was four stories, had six bedrooms and 6.5 baths, with a huge gourmet kitchen, dining and great rooms and a large entertainment space on the lower floor. Carl had been in awe at the mini mansion and had asked if there were servants keeping the place in order.

Michonne had confirmed that there were, a stable hand to manage the horses, a cook to oversee all the meals and two maids to keep the place well organized and cleaned. It was the property of her parents who lived there on holidays and weekends, and the place to which they planned to retire in a few years. It was where Michonne and her brother had grown up, and despite it being a little overwhelming with its grand ambience and the fact that servants worked there, in the few hours that Rick had been in the home, he'd come to enjoy the place because it had been a significant part of Michonne's childhood.

* * *

They'd arrived in D.C. the previous night, two days before Thanksgiving, rejecting Mr. Mitchell's offer of a limo service. Instead they'd rented a car and drove to the posh property, where they'd be having their first holiday in D.C. with the Mitchell family. Over the past two years, since Michonne and Rick had been dating, there had been only a few occasions they'd spent time with their families. The first family outing had been at a Grimes Thanksgiving celebration in Eastman. Rick and Michonne had harbored no delusions about how the introduction would go, considering how Lori had attempted to paint the divorce to Rick's family, and their staunch conservative nature. However, the holiday had gone better than expected. No one was ready to throw a party in honor of their courtship, but everyone was respectful. Rick's uncle Larry and brother Gary had been the most courteous of them all. With the former privately telling Michonne that she was a welcomed improvement over Lori. His parents had been quite different, a little more uptight and obviously not approving of their relationship.

Nonetheless, though Michonne didn't think she'd ever be trading recipes with Rick's mother or calling his father to discover secrets about his childhood, both seemed genuinely interested in who she was and her relationship with their son, which had been better than the reaming Rick received from her mother during their first meeting.

Her family had converged on her for Christmas, coming to Atlanta for a visit. They'd all been hearing about the upheaval in her life – the change in jobs, the broken engagement from Mike, the sudden and serious relationship with Rick Grimes, and wanted to make sure she was okay. Michonne appreciated the concern, most especially from her father and brother, but she knew her mother driving such a visit meant trouble. They'd eaten Christmas dinner at the condo and her mother had used the opportunity to grill Rick on everything from his career ambitions, money he had (or didn't have), his divorce from Lori and his experience with dating women of color. Rick had been a "good" sport, but Michonne and her father had stopped the questioning when it became interrogative. It had been clear that her inquest was more about exposing Rick's flaws than wanting to get to know him and thus why her daughter loved him. The remainder of the evening had generally gone well with Rick building a strong rapport with her father and a tolerable relationship with her brother. The latter, like her mother, wasn't particularly thrilled with Michonne being seriously involved with a divorcee who had a child and whose income was meager in comparison to their family, but he didn't give Rick much shit about it, save for to warn him not to hurt his sister.

* * *

Rick sat comfortably on the plush couch, watching Michonne, who was dressed in paint splashed overalls with her hair pinned up, while using the radiance of the early morning sun to create a lovely work of art. She had missed the hobby, being as their lives had been so busy with work and spending time with each other, and had mentioned to Rick how this was one of the few great things about coming home, having the time and space to revisit the craft.

He loved watching her. He mused with contentment and pride. He loved these quiet moments with just them and the lively ones with his son. He loved their intersecting lives, but desired more. Though they were not married, they had gone through a lot to get to the point where most of the bullshit was behind them, and the past several months had not been no exception. He'd started his new job with MARTA, which just as he'd expected had been much different from anything he'd done with the King County Sheriff Department. The work was very busy and thrilling, good in that it was confined to what could be deemed as its own private city, the various train stations and buses, but more dangerous than anything he'd dealt with in Palmer. For with the trains and buses operating in a major city, came with it every crime imaginable and then some that were not fathomable. It was a bit of a culture shock, but a great challenge, providing him with extensive experience with varying situations, giving him a renewed enjoyment for his work.

His schedule hadn't been bad, so he and Michonne had been able to establish a routine of date nights alone and outings with Carl. Yet in the beginning, his new life in Atlanta had been terribly isolating. Although Morgan/Jenny and Darryl had frequently come up for visits, and he had Michonne, who'd been amazing, as had been her friends – Sasha/Bob, Maggie/Glenn, who were very welcoming, Rick felt like his world revolved too much around Michonne and she believed the same. Nonetheless, it had been difficult for him to expand his circle. Besides the demands of his job, spending time with Michonne and working to get Carl acclimated to living in Atlanta, Shane's case had finally gone to trial, which had taken up what little extra time he might've had to meet new people. For a time, he and Michonne's, schedules consisted of nothing but work and the trial, due to them both being key witnesses/victims to the crime. The proceedings had reopened old wounds, reminded them of the baby they'd lost, and the other difficult things that had been happening at that time. Thus, they'd become weighed down with the strain of it all and had occasionally argued when the stress grew to be too much, but they'd worked through it, not letting the pressure damage or destroy their relationship.

* * *

Once the trial was over, with Shane being convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to seven years in prison, things had gotten better on many fronts. Rick had been able to settle fully into his new place, - a nice rental home in the Druid Hills area, which had great schools and was only 10 minutes from Michonne. Carl, who'd missed his old friends and thus struggled with adapting to a new school, finally started to develop friendships and take to Atlanta as his home, which had been further helped by Rick getting him enrolled in the local adolescent soccer and baseball leagues. Lori, whom Carl stayed the weekend every other week, had become less of a nuisance, due in part to the boy expressing his desire not to see her if she was going to continually stir trouble, but mostly because she had a new man in her life, which left little time for her vengeful schemes. Moreover, Rick had come upon more opportunities to participate in after-hours activities with his colleagues – drinks after work, a family barbecue or a gathering at the gym, where he'd met more people, commenced new friendships, during a weekly game of basketball.

Through all the transition and challenges, he and Michonne had grown closer than they'd ever been. They made a point to meet daily for lunch, or have dinner at the home of one or the other, and always spent the weekends overnight together. They'd taken day trips as a family - to Amicalola Falls and Chattanooga, attended sporting events – Falcons and Braves games, which further bonded Michonne and Carl, who'd been getting along well since he'd confessed to her his fondness for their friendship. Additionally, they done some travel alone – a weekend in New York and most recently a trip to Cabo San Lucas. Though they weren't legally bound, weren't even residing in the same home, they had formed a family. They were making decisions together, working through the conflict in their lives and planning for the future. Withal, there were more discussions and decisions to come, inconsequential and life altering, and he was looking forward to all of it with his son and Michonne.

" _So what do you think?"_ Michonne questioned as she glanced back at him, drawing Rick from his thoughts.

" _What?"_ He distractedly asked.

" _Of the painting."_ She replied with gentle scorn.

" _It's interesting."_ He commented his focus now turning from her to the canvas that looked to be close to completion.

" _You're bored."_ She sighed.

" _I could never be bored watching you."_ He softly said.

" _Now you're just being nice."_ She lightly jibed. _"You don't have to stay and watch. You still have time to go riding if you'd like."_ She said, reminding him of Carl going horse riding with her brother and his wife, and one of her cousin's children.

" _I'd rather be here with you."_

" _Suit yourself. I think a ride would be more fun, than literally watching paint dry._ " She smiled, briefly turning her attention to him again. _"What?"_ She asked at the emotion she saw in his eyes, fastening her gaze to his, filling her heart.

" _We dealt with so much for so long, Lori, Shane, Mike, my son, two years ago did you ever think we'd be here? Sitting in your parent's home talking about horseback riding and painting? Just, being happy?"_ He seriously asked as he stood from the couch and slowly walked towards her.

" _Honestly, no."_ She quietly answered. " _It was hard to see past the situation at the time. I didn't even know if we were meant to get here."_

" _But you kept believing?"_ Rick said more as a statement than a query, as he came to stand before her.

" _Even when things were at their worst, when we were still so new and I thought maybe I should give up, some part of me still believed that somehow we'd be able to work through it all."_ Michonne confessed.

" _So did I."_ He voiced as he gently touched her cheek, teasing a heat within her. _"And we did."_

" _Yeah, we did."_ She murmured then took his mouth with slow passion, her paintbrush still in hand.

" _When I met you that day on that deserted highway in Palmer, I thought you were the most beautiful woman I'd even seen."_ Rick disclosed as his head came to rest against hers, his breath deep and fervent, reflecting the power of the kiss they'd shared.

" _I thought you were pretty hot too."_ She breathlessly laughed.

" _I knew that you were going to change my life. You are still changing my life."_ He stated, having now slightly pulled back so that he could gaze into her eyes. _"And we, you, me and Carl, are the better for it, which is why I can't help but imagine how wonderful it would be to spend every day in the same house, waking in the same bed, not trying to figure out whose turn is it to host dinner because we have a home together."_ He said causing Michonne to suddenly feel faint, her breath and heart to rush at the shock she was feeling in the implication of his words. _"Baby this is not a hypothetical."_ He emotionally uttered, then dropped down on one knee and lifted his gaze to Michonne who was teary eyed and stunned, looking more beautiful than he'd ever seen her. _"I have loved you since I met you. I know its cliché, but it's the truth."_ He declared as he took her left hand in his and tenderness welled in her heart. _"And I can't imagine my life without you. So…Will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you marry me?"_

" _Yes."_ Michonne tearfully sighed, prompting Rick to instantly jump to his feet and take her in his arms screaming _"Yes"_ himself when she uttered _"I love you"_ as he spun her around in uncontrollable joy, causing her to drop her paintbrush which she hardly noticed, before he stopped the spin to fervidly kiss her lips.

" _Yes!"_ He sighed against her mouth, after reluctantly suspending their kiss.

" _Did you think I was gone say no?"_ A weepy Michonne teased at his enthusiastic response, thinking how they'd touched on the subject of moving in together, ran hypotheticals in the past but had shelved the subject, planning to revisit it in a few months, but had yet to pick it back up.

" _No."_ Rick confidently replied. _"I'm just happy."_ He said then quickly pecked her lips. _"We need one more thing to make it official."_ He proclaimed as he pulled the jewel from his front pocket, grasped her left hand in his, drew it to him then slipped the unique ring on her finger. It was white gold ring with a matted design of Black Rhodium leaves swirling about the band and a 3/4 size Asscher cut diamond at its center that was accented with two 0.25 round diamonds.

" _It's perfect."_ Michonne expressed with joy, then captured his lips once more. _"I have to call Sasha and Bob!"_ She excitedly exclaimed after suddenly pulling away _. "But first Carl."_ She declared then grabbed his hand and moved to rush from the room.

" _Carl already knows."_ He happily revealed, thinking how he'd told his son of his plans weeks before and the boy had fully supported his decision. _"And Sasha and Bob kind of got a heads up before we left Atlanta."_

" _What?!"_ She stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. _"I'll give you Carl because he's your son, but Sasha and Bob?"_

" _I needed some advice on when best to do it, before we left Atlanta, or here."_

" _No wonder Sasha was dodging my calls and barely answering my texts."_ Michonne realized aloud, giving him an amusing side eye.

" _I guess she didn't think she could keep it secret if she talked to you."_ He sexily smiled as he pulled her to him, then kissed her mouth with longing and heat.

" _Who else knows?"_ Michonne delightfully breathed.

" _Your father. I asked him for your hand last month."_ He passionately whispered, before again taunting her lips. _"And before you ask, he gave his blessing."_

" _How long did you have to twist his arm?"_ She lightly quipped.

" _No more than Carl, Sasha and Bob. You know we've always gotten along."_

" _You're pretty dam wonderful. You know that?"_ She beamed with love.

" _I am aren't I?"_ He smirked.

" _Whatever."_ She playfully scoffed which was followed by their mouths eagerly meeting once more. _"I can't wait to tell the rest of the family."_ Michonne giddily declared upon ending their kiss prematurely, frustrating Rick _. "We may be able to catch Jason, Pam and the kids before they go out on their rid…"_

" _No."_ Rick huskily rejected, stopping her before she could escape his arms, holding her tightly gently against him, inciting her to gasp from the heat it stirred. _"Your brother and the others can wait. We can tell them at lunch."_

" _Is that so?"_ She whispered with desire, when he answered with a kiss, hotly taking her lips, then sweeping her up in his arms, devouring her mouth as he carried her to the couch on the far side of the room.


	35. Epilogue

**Well this is it. The last post on this story. I can't believe it took me almost a year to finish this. When I started I honestly did not intend for it to be this long, but the story kind took on a life of its own and here we are. I really enjoyed writing this and reading your intelligent insights on my interpretation of these characters.**

 **Thanks again to all who read and responded! Your reviews were inspiring.**

 **Special thanks to all who continued with this story through the angst and could find overall enjoyment in what was written. I would like to personally thank you all but there are just too many of you to list – so big hug and thanks a million to each one of you.**

 **Epilogue**

The announcement of their engagement hadn't gone exactly as planned. For Mrs. Mitchell, had caught Rick and Michonne in a very compromising position on the couch in the art room. Michonne and Rick had been mortified, shocked, because they were in the basement on the far side of the house, and understood that no one ever ventured down there. Unfortunately, they'd been wrong, and thus had found themselves in a situation akin to two teenagers getting caught by their parents doing something they weren't supposed to with their high school sweetheart.

After Michonne and Rick had gotten dressed, she'd told her mother what was going on, besides the obvious, that they'd just gotten engaged to be married. Of course, her mother had not been thrilled considering what she'd just seen and her displeasure with who her daughter was marrying. However, Michonne and Rick didn't care. Though still embarrassed by what had happened, they were beyond thrilled with their engagement.

* * *

The announcement to the rest of their families and friends had gone well, with everyone being genuinely happy for them, save for a couple of exceptions Lori, Angela and Rick's parents. The former had been livid, kicking up a fuss that only served to make her look silly, claiming that Rick was trying to replace her as Carl's mother. She'd been virtually ignored by Rick and Michonne, and begrudged by Carl who had no desire to see her while she was raging over the engagement. However, he'd continued his bi-monthly weekend visits to her in Palmer because he didn't want her to think that he was abandoning her for Michonne.

Angela had expressed what she always had about their relationship, that it was a huge mistake and that Michonne was marrying beneath her worth, but Michonne had let her friend know that she loved Rick and he was more than worthy of her and she of him. _"Either you support my choice or don't bother coming to the wedding."_ She'd told her friend who'd chosen the former.

Rick's parents thought the engagement was too much too soon. _"You just divorced Lori and moved to Atlanta, now you're remarrying?! Carl will not be able to handle so much change."_ They'd argued, but Rick had countered that he loved Michonne more than he'd ever loved before and that Carl loved her too and would be fine _. "In fact he blessed the engagement."_ He'd told them, then reminded them that this had not "just" happened, that he'd been in Atlanta for nearly a year and divorced for more than two. _"I'm happy."_ He'd let them know, which had somewhat settled their concerns and led to them reluctantly supporting their plans.

* * *

The wedding had happened 6-months later, on a gorgeous Saturday in early May, at Little Gardens, a property that was 45 minutes outside of Atlanta. The ceremony was intimate, with only about 75 guests who were Michonne and Rick's closest family and friends. The wedding party was small, consisting of three bridesmaids - Maggie, Michonne's sister-in-law – Tracey and Jenny, and groomsmen – Darryl, Morgan, and Rick's brother Gary. Carl served as the best man and Sasha as the maid of honor. The colors had been light pink and gray, with the women in the wedding party wearing pastel pink dresses and the men, including Rick, wearing light gray suits with pastel pink ties.

Michonne wore a simple gown, the Lea, by Amsale Aberra. It was cream in color with a bias cut, silk chiffon and strapless with crystal hand beading on the bodice and bordering the beatuex train. Her ears were adorned with diamond studs that were set in a platinum circle, and her neck and wrist were beautified with a matching necklace and bracelet, all of which had been gifted to her by her father for her wedding. Her hair was swept up in a loose bun and her makeup was a natural elegance of brown and bronze hues, stunning Rick who thought she looked beautiful.

* * *

The ceremony took place at twilight under an archway near the waterfall. There were twinkle lights everywhere and lovely flowers, the same as Michonne's bouquet - light pink peonies, snapdragons, white calla lilies, cream English roses – adorning the white chairs and arch, under which they married. Michonne received a white gold swirl style wedding band that was accented with 24 round diamonds matching perfectly with her engagement ring, while she'd given Rick a white gold band with a rich black rhodium design, matching her wedding set.

The reception was held outside with an open bar, an abundance of champagne and a plated dinner. The meal consisted of a choice of Filet Mignon, Herb Roasted Lamb, Fourchu Lobster, King Salmon, Red wine-braised lentils with Veggie Sausage – for the vegetarian attendees, and sides of grilled asparagus, mashed potatoes, roasted butternut squash and green salad. For dessert, there was a choice of various flavors of ice cream and cupcakes and of course the wedding cake which had been a four-tier creation of cream cheese icing with vanilla batter and raspberry filling. Michonne and Rick had been beaming with joy having the time of their lives, excited about their future together, while their guests, including those who had been reluctant about their union, had let their hair down and had a fabulous time – partying until late in the evening.

* * *

The world had changed. Her world had changed, so drastically after becoming Mrs. Rick Grimes. For though they'd been dating for two years and Carl had been a big part of her life, it was an adjustment having a 13-year-old boy in the house. She could no longer be the cool girlfriend but at times had to be the authority figure and even a disciplinary – putting him on punishment, when Rick wasn't around, which had tested her relationship with Carl and sometimes caused issues with Lori, but they'd gotten through it and had become closer than ever.

Another adjustment was dealing with their finances. When they were dating, they did talk money and had done many things together, pooling their finances together to accomplish a common goal. They'd done this to pay for their honeymoon. However, being in the same home, having all their money going to the same household was strangely a challenge, mainly due to the way they handle their money and stayed on top of things. Rick kept a running tab in his head, never opening a checkbook and thus occasionally going over budget. While Michonne was the meticulous bookkeeper, tracking every penny. They'd had many disagreements about this, not because they were constantly short on cash, due to his spending, because unlike many couples they were doing well financially, but that his way of tracking the money would always throw off their budgeting. It had been a struggle but Michonne had finally convinced Rick to let her handle their finances. He would put a portion of his check in their joint account and she would manage all the bills and fundamentals for the house.

The other major transformation was where they'd live. After their week-long honeymoon in St. Lucia, Rick and Carl had moved into the condo with Michonne due to the house he was renting having been sold to new owners. The decision was a transitory solution being that they wanted Carl to finish the school year in Druid Hills, but what came after had been where the conflict arose. Rick wanted to move out of the city and to the suburbs. The cost of living was more economical. There were bigger houses with more land and it would be the best place to raise a family. Nonetheless, Michonne was adamant about remaining in the city. It was close to their jobs, had more activities available for them and though Carl would eventually have to change schools, he'd at least still be able to participate in the sports leagues that were local to that area, which was where he'd made many friends.

She'd temporarily won that battle, but once Carl started high school, a year later, they'd moved. She'd fiercely resisted it, finding several properties within their budget that was in the city and provide some of what Rick wanted, but he would not yield. He wanted a home that was more conducive to a family. Thus, they'd bought a new construction, Craftsman four bedroom/two and half bathroom house – in east Cobb County. It was a beautiful home that provided the space they needed to start a family and Rick the yard he wanted. Moreover, it was only 5 miles outside Atlanta, which made Michonne happy because she'd still have easy access to the city.

All else seemed to fall into place. They'd kept their in-laws at bay, meaning not allowing them to get to deep in their business and thus cause trouble. They'd learned how to handle their time before they'd married, and continued their routine after the wedding. They'd done more traveling, finally getting Carl on a plane for a trip, one Spring Break, to Hollywood and doing a wonderful vacation in Europe one Fall after Michonne had finished her work in Paris.

Both had continued to exceed at their careers with Rick moving up quickly with MARTA, becoming a Lieutenant on the force, which increased his pay and provided more flexibility with his schedule. Michonne had continued working with the same marketing firm, with constant travel to New York, and the annual month long engagement in Paris, rising to Senior Director and was poised for the position of Vice President when Rick had asked the question.

* * *

It had been true. Michonne had always been very passionate about her career, wanting to break the glass ceiling and reach heights beyond her expectations. She had been quite successful with her work and was set to continue to the next level, until Rick had asked for a family. He'd wanted more children since they'd married, but they'd been busy with their careers and still trying to adjust to the demands of building a life together. However, three years into the marriage he'd not wanted to wait any longer. For they were settled in their jobs, living in a location and home they loved, had a nice routine with Carl and had life generally under control. It was expected that she'd resist his request being as she was on the precipice of a new career high, but she'd immediately said yes. Though she was fearful, remembering what had happened when she'd been pregnant years before and worried that she'd become overbearing and disapproving like her mother, she wanted a family with Rick. She wanted him to be happy.

* * *

Late May 2026

Michonne sat smiling, gazing out over the back lawn, watching their 4- year old son Christopher, frolicking with his constant playmate – Ben, who was Glenn and Maggie's son.

" _Hey."_ Rick quietly uttered as he came to stand over her, drawing her eyes up to him.

" _Hey."_ She responded in the same quiet tone, before he then lovingly took her mouth.

" _Glenn and Maggie still aren't back?"_ He asked.

" _I think they 're gone be a minute, because they decided to go way up to Sam's Club near Dobbins to get the buns."_ She answered. _"When Sasha called and said her and Bob were running behind I told her they could take their time."_

" _I guess that's just as well. The coals are still getting hot on the grill and Carl just called and said he's just now leaving Knoxville. So, we won't be eating for a while anyway."_

" _Why is he just now leaving? I thought he got on the road a couple of hours ago."_

" _Take a guess."_ Rick casually retorted.

" _Enid again?"_ Michonne quietly laughed, referring to the young woman who had captured Carl's attention since his sophomore year at the University of Tennessee.

" _Yeah. He said something about spending as much time with her as he could because they weren't going to see each other for a few weeks."_ Rick sighed, shaking his head.

" _Ah, young love."_ Michonne smiled at her husband.

" _Yeah, but it ain't nothing like seasoned love."_

" _Seasoned love?"_ She countered in jest _. "Is that a nice way of saying love between us old adults."_

" _We ain't that old."_ He chuckled, then kissed her with a deep heat, causing her to silently moan.

" _You best be careful. You don't want to wake your daughter with your amorous play."_ Michonne lightly warned as she gently stroked the back of the three-month-old, who lay sleeping comfortably on her chest.

" _Don't worry I can keep things tamed."_ He huskily countered then tenderly, hotly tasted her lips again.

" _You are too much."_ She breathed, beaming with delight.

" _That's why you love me."_ He quipped with a smirk, then chastely pecked her mouth, before planting a soft kiss on his daughter's forehead. _"You want me to take her upstairs to her bed?"_ He offered, eying their beautiful little Kaliyah aka Kali with adoration.

" _No, just put her in the pack n play in the living room. That way when she wakes up we don't have to go all the way upstairs to get her."_

Rick heeded his wife's words then carefully extracted their daughter from her arms. Kali barely stirred as she came to rest against her father's chest, when he then leaned down and caressed Michonne's lips once more. _"I'll be back."_ He whispered. Michonne watched him as he walked away, the joy on his face at holding their daughter, filling her with so much love. Saying yes, keeping the faith all those years ago when their relationship had been tested from the start, marrying him and agreeing to start a family when he was ready, even though she was afraid, had been the best thing she'd ever done in her life. For though she valued her career and the many things outside of her family that made her who she was, nothing was comparable to this – a life with a great husband, beautiful children and wonderful friends, a life that despite some heartache was happy.


End file.
